USTDA Supports Morocco's Efforts to Deploy Solar Energy
June 10, 2011
(USTDA)
ARLINGTON, VA – Building on the Obama
Administration's efforts to open overseas
markets for clean energy technologies, USTDA is
supporting the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy
(MASEN) as it begins to deploy 500 MW of solar
electricity near the city of Ouarzazate. During
the signing ceremony attended by His Majesty
King Mohammed VI, USTDA committed $642,000 to
help demonstrate the applicability of
concentrated solar power based on solar tower
technology. Mr. Mustapha Bakkoury, President of
MASEN, signed on behalf of MASEN, and Jane
Kitson, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S.
Consulate in Casablanca, signed on behalf of
USTDA.
"This grant continues a strong relationship
between USTDA and the Government of Morocco,
and represents the beginning of our
relationship with the Moroccan Agency for Solar
Energy," said USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak.
"We are excited for the opportunity to work on
such a high priority project in Morocco, and
support U.S. technologies and business
involvement in this exciting initiative."
The technical assistance will determine the
impact of a CSP plant on the electrical power
grid as well as evaluate power storage options
and water usage. The implementation of
renewable energy is critical to Morocco’s
economic development as the country relies
heavily on imported sources of energy to meet
more than 97% of the country's energy needs.
The opportunity to conduct the USTDA-funded
technical assistance will be competed on the
Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website. A
link to the FBO announcement will be posted to
USTDA's website at www.ustda.gov. Interested
U.S. firms should submit proposals according to
the instructions in the FBO announcement. MASEN
will select the U.S. contractor that will
complete the technical assistance.
For more information, go to www.ustda.gov
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