The Sahara Wind Project is brining much needed power to one of the neediest regions of the world. From its operating 380 MW wind power base, Morocco’s wind capacity will reach 800 MW by the end of 2014. The Integrated Wind Energy Initiative of the country’s public utilities aims at reaching 2 GW by the end of the decade. With a 7 % averaged domestic power demand growth, the region’s electricity needs are likely to be quadrupled within 20 years. To supply North Africas urban centers from the exceptional Atlantic Trade Winds blowing over the Sahara desert coastline, a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line will be needed. Within this context, the Sahara Wind Project’s 5 GW HVDC line, submitted to multilateral funding institutions in 2005, is likely to meet this objective and enable excess low-costs wind power flows to be exported to Europe as well.
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