USTDA Supports Renewable Energy Development in Coastal Fishing Villages in Morocco
April 6, 2011
(USTDA)
CASABLANCA, MOROCCO – Today, USTDA awarded a grant to the National Fisheries
Office (Office National des Pêches) (ONP) to support the development of
distributed power generation and fresh water production in coastal fishing
villages in Morocco. The technical assistance will develop a master plan for
utilizing renewable energy resources in six pilot fishing villages and provide a
model for clean electricity generation and water filtration in up to 60 fishing
villages throughout the country.
The technical assistance project
responds to the need for enhanced electricity generation in fishing centers in
Morocco. The grant will provide an analysis of solar photovoltaic and wind
energy applications which would potentially replace diesel-based generation in
these remote villages. ONP considers the use of renewable energy to be a high
priority.
The $551,880 technical assistance grant was conferred to H.E.
Aziz Akhannouch, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, by U.S. Ambassador to
Morocco Samuel L. Kaplan during a signing ceremony at the Hyatt Regency
Casablanca as part of a luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in
Morocco. The grant signing was witnessed by Mr. Carl B. Kress, USTDA Regional
Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, and ONP Director General
Amina Figuigui. Also in attendance was Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion
and Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service Suresh Kumar,
who is leading an18-company trade mission to Morocco.
The project also
complements the Millennium Challenge Corporation's efforts in Morocco as it
implements initiatives in the fishing sector. Morocco is a leading country in
fish production in the Arab region. The fishing sector represents 16% of total
national exports and is valued at over $830 million annually.
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. ONP will
select the U.S. contractor that will complete the technical assistance.
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