Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power is to develop a 120MW wind farm in Jbel Sendouq-Khalladi, near Tangiers in Morroco.

The developer achieved financial close for the scheme on 27 November.

The 120MW wind independent power project (IPP) has been structured as a long-term limited recourse project financing, which will be funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) together with the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Banque Marocaine du Commerce Exterieur (BMCE).

The IPP will be the first renewable energy project Acwa Power has developed where private power producers can sell electricity directly to high-voltage clients, such as industrial companies. About 85 per cent of the power generated by the wind farm will be sold directly to three industrial customers through long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), with the remainder sold through short-term PPAs. Any remaining power will be sold to the Office National de l’Electricite et de l’Eau Potable (ONEE).

Denmark’s Vestas will supply wind turbines for the project, and will provide operation and maintenance services for the plant’s first 5 years of operation. Operation after this date will be undertaken by Nomac, an Acwa Power subsidiary.

The project award marks successful year for Acwa Power in Morocco’s renewable energy market. In January, the developer was awarded contracts to develop the Noor 2 and Noor 3 concentrated solar projects (CSP), which will have a total combined capacity of 350MW. The developer is also developing the 160MW Noor 1 CSP IPP.