Prequalified consortiums are currently working on commercial submissions for the second phase of the Ouarzazate solar power complex in southern-central Morocco.

The second phase of the Ouarzazate complex includes the Noor 2 and Noor 3 projects, with a combined capacity of 300MW, which would make it the largest solar complex in the world if completed. The scheme is expected to cost a total of $2.3bn to develop.

The three prequalified groups for the Noor 2 project and the four prequalified consortiums for the Noor 3 scheme, all submitted technical bids in March and are currently working on the commercial parts of the bids, which are due in September.

The Noor scheme will be developed through an independent power project (IPP) procurement model. Noor 2 is a concentrated solar power (CSP) parabolic trough project with a capacity of 200MW with storage. The Noor 3 project is a CSP tower scheme with a capacity of 100MW.

In August last year, the client, Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (Masen), prequalified groups for the solar projects, which comprises some of the largest regional and international power developers, including Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power, the UK/French GDF Suez and Spain’s Abengoa.

The prequalifiers for the Noor 2 scheme are:

• Abengoa (Spain)/Abengoa Solar (Spain)
• Acwa Power International (Saudi Arabia)/Sener (Spain)
• GDF Suez (UK/France)/Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) (UAE)

The prequalifiers for the Noor 3 project are:

• Abengoa/Abengoa Solar
• Acwa Power/Sener
• GDF Suez International Energy (UK/France)/Masdar/Solar Reserve (US)
• EDF (France)/Mitsui (Japan)/Brightsource (US)/Alstom (France)/Brookstone Partners (Morocco)

In February, the UK’s EY (formerly Ernst & Young) was awarded the financial advisory services contract for the Noor 2 and Noor 3 projects.

The 160MW first phase of the Ouarzazate scheme is being developed by Acwa PowerInternational under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA), and secured €345m ($441m) in funding from EU investors in November 2012. Three groups had submitted bids for the project in early 2012.

The solar schemes are part of Morocco’s national energy strategy, which aims to meet its renewable energy target of 42 per cent of installed capacity by 2020.

The solar deal is the second power advisory contract EY has won in 2014. The firm was recently appointed by Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) as financial adviser for the planned 1,200MW Hassyan clean-coal fired independent power plant in Dubai.