Siemens has inaugurated the first Turbine Blade Factory in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier that was completed for a total cost of $118 million. Built over a surface area of 37,500 square meters, the new factory is the first of its kind in North Africa and the Middle East and will offer 600 jobs as well as an estimated 500 indirect jobs. “The new blade factory also plays an important role in contributing to Morocco’s national program to achieve 52% clean energy by 2030, of which 20% is generated from wind,” the company said. With a 72% market share in Morocco, Siemens Gamesa says it has delivered key wind energy projects including Tarfaya (300 MW), Tangiers (140 MW), Essaouira (60 MW) and Haouma (50 MW). By 2020, Morocco is hoping to source half of its energy from renewables, a third of that will be solar power; the other two thirds will come from wind and hydropower.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 12, 2017 10:52 UTC