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Rabat – According to a statement released today by Acwa Power, the Noor III solar power facility in Ouarzazate had to close because of a leak in the molten salt tank.
Acwa Power noted that this decision was made in response to the discovery of a leak in the molten salt tank for the Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project, adding that initial estimates of the company’s losses are about $47 million. Acwa Power also has a 75% stake in the project.
In order to address the issue, the project business is dedicated to fixing the flaw and is not ruling out building an entirely new reservoir, Acwa Power added.
The Noor III station can produce 150 megawatts when combined with the largest solar power tower in the world. It has been producing power since October 2018 and is capable of doing so even at night because of a heat storage system.
Morocco’s Sener engineering and technology group’s central tower technology and molten salt storage system are utilized by Noor Ouarzazate III, which is the second plant to implement this configuration on a commercial scale globally.
This technology was selected because, when compared to other CSP technologies, it performed well in reaching optimal temperatures. This allowed it to manage solar energy, maximize thermodynamic efficiency, and fulfill grid demand even in the absence of irradiation.
Morocco’s economic, social, and environmental council had suggested in a 2020 report that CSP be completely abandoned since it is more expensive than wind and solar energy.
Morocco seeks to increase the percentage of installed capacity from 37.6% to 52% by 2030, mostly through investments in wind and solar power projects.
By 2020, Morocco was supposed to have 2,000 megawatts (MW) of solar installed. However, the North African country is already far behind with just 831 MW built. Even with wind power filling in part of the gap, the majority of production still comes from polluting coal plants.
Read also: Morocco to Reportedly Award New Contract for Solar Project
