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The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) recently inaugurated the 270 MW Jbel Lahdid wind farm in the province of Essaouira. This addition brings Morocco's total renewable energy capacity to 5,440 MW, of which 2,400 MW is wind-generated, representing 45% of the country's total production capacity. The project aligns with Morocco's ambitious goal of accelerating renewable energy development and achieving energy sovereignty.
Tarik Hamane, Managing Director of ONEE, emphasized the significance of the Jbel Lahdid wind farm, stating, «With the commissioning of this project, we are marking a new milestone in our commitment to strengthening the Kingdom's energy independence and contributing to the fight against climate change». He added, «Our country continues to make rapid progress towards achieving the ambitious target of 52% renewable energies in the energy mix, well before 2030».
Located along the Essaouira-Safi national road, the wind farm spans three ridges and is equipped with 54 turbines, each with a capacity of 5 MW. Several components of the turbines were manufactured in Morocco. The farm is expected to generate approximately 952 GWh per year, equivalent to the electricity consumption of a city with a population of 1.2 million, such as Marrakech, Fez, or Tangier. This will result in a reduction of CO2 emissions by 580,000 tonnes per year.
Beyond its environmental benefits, the wind farm has also contributed to local development. It has enabled the construction of 74 km of road access, connecting more than 14 rural communes, and created over 500 direct jobs, boosting the socio-economic development of the region.
The Jbel Lahdid wind farm is a public-private partnership between ONEE, Nareva Holding, and Enel Green Power, with a total investment of approximately 3.25 billion dirhams. The project has received financing from international institutions such as KfW, EIB, and the European Union.
