GDF SUEZ to build Africa’ largest wind farm in Morocco
By Samira Arabi
Morocco News Tribune
Agadir, Morocco — Morocco and French GDF Suez utility are to build a 300MW wind farm in Morocco, Africa’s largest wind farm, as the kingdom is seeking to demonstrate its commitment to investing in renewable energy.
“The Tarfaya project is in line with the Group’s development strategy in fast growing markets. We are pleased to support Morocco’s ambitions to increase its renewable energy sources with this project, which will almost double the country’s wind capacity. As the largest wind farm ever constructed by GDF SUEZ, it also demonstrates our commitment to investing in renewables as well as delivering essential energy infrastructure to Africa,” Chairman and CEO of GDF SUEZ Gérard Mestrallet said.
Owned in partnership with Nareva Holding, a Moroccan energy company, the Tarfaya project, which is supported by a 20-year power purchase agreement with state-utility the Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE), is to be partly financed by a group of three Moroccan banks: Attijariwafa Bank, Banque Centrale Populaire and Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur, GDF said.
“The Tarfaya plant has been contracted to supply electricity to the Moroccan state utility Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE) under a 20-year long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) on a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) basis. Full commissioning of the wind farm is anticipated at the end of 2014,” GDF said.
Headquartered in Paris, GDF Suez was formed on 22 July 2008 by the merger of Gaz de France and Suez. The company is a multinational electric utility which operates in the fields of electricity generation and distribution, natural gas and renewable energy.