Morocco’s Office National de l’Electricite (ONE) has received 16 statements of qualification to build five wind farms with a total capacity of 850MW.

The following groups responded to the request for qualification (RFQ):

• EDF Energies Nouvelles (France), Mitsui & Co (Japan) and Alstom (France)
• Nareva (Morocco), Taqa (UAE), Enel (Italy) and Siemens (Germany)
• IP-GDF Suez (UK/France) and Vestas (Denmark)
• Acwa Power (Saudi Arabia), Eolica Gamesa (Spain) and Gamesa Energia (Spain)
• China Petroleum Liaohe Equipment Company (China)
• Magtel (Spain) and Suzlon (India)
• Ansaldo Energia (Italy), Fuhrlander (Germany), Windreich (Germany) and ABB (Switzerland)
• EDP Renovais (Portugal), EDP Energias (Portugal) and Goldwind (China)
• Electrawinds (Belgium), EFACEC (Portugal) and Lagerwey Wind (Netherlands)
• Guodian Power (China) and Longyuan Power Group (China)
• CECEP Wind Power (China), Rongxin Power (China) and Guangdong Mingyang Wind Power (China)
• CNEEC (China), CHMC (China) and New United Group (China)
• CCWE-AVIC International (China)
• General Electric (US)
• Acciona Wind Power (Spain), Acciona Energia (Spain) and Al Ajial Funds (Morocco)
• Clipper Wind Power (US)

The qualification process was launched in January, but was twice postponed following requests from potential bidders. ONE will now evaluate the submissions before releasing a list of qualified companies in the third quarter of 2012. A request for proposals (RFP) will be issued during the fourth quarter.

The winning bidder will construct five wind farms with a total capacity of 850MW at the following locations:

• Tanger II (Tangier): 150MW
• Midelt (Midelt): 100MW
• Jbel Lahdid (Essaouira) 200MW
• Tiskrad (Laayoune): 300MW
• Boujdour (Boujdour): 100MW

The developer will design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the wind farms as independent power projects (IPPs). In addition to the five new wind farms, the developer and turbine supplier must have the capacity to also extend the 50MW Koudia al-Baida Al II wind farm in Abdelkhalek Torres to a total capacity of 200MW.

While the private developer will be responsible for the financing of the projects, funds will be made available through ONE, Societe d’Investissement Energetique (SIE) and Hassan II Fund. Loans are also to be sourced from the African Development Bank (ADB) and Clean Technology Fund. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Germany’s KfW have also expressed interest in contributing to the funding, according to ONE.

ONE has appointed consultants to advise on an 850MW wind power programme. The UK’s HSBC has been selected as financial adviser, while the US’ Baker & McKenzie is legal adviser and the UK’s Garrad Hassan is technical adviser.

The wind farm programme is part of Morocco’s plan to meet its renewable energy target of 42 per cent of installed capacity, based on renewable energy by 2020. In addition to the 850MW programme, ONE is also tendering a 150MW wind farm at Taza, northern Morocco.

Taza wind farm will be constructed at a site located 12 kilometres northwest of Taza on a build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis. ONE has named Japan’s Mitsui and France’s EDF Energies Nouvelles as the preferred bidder to build the project.