Morocco To Build The World's Largest Solar Power Plant

February 6, according to TheVerge website reported, Morocco on the edge of the Sahara desert town Ourrzazate established a huge solar power system plant. The plant cover thousands of acres, can produce up to 160 megawatts power, it has already been one of the world's largest solar power grid, from the sky will be able to see and the plant will only become more and more large.

The named for the grid of Noor I is a project of the first phase , the project objective is to live in Morocco and millions of people to provide renewable energy. Soon will expand to Noor II and Noor III, and add more mirror in the existing power plants. Once the project is completed in 2018, the grid will cover 6000 acres, at that time will produce up to 580 MW power which can comparable with that of a small nuclear reactor.

At present, the entire solar farm is made up of 500000 pieces of curved surface mirrors, each mirror is about 40 feet high. These mirrors gathered sunlight to a fluid filled pipe, and the liquid is heated to 739 degrees Fahrenheit (393 degrees Celsius). The liquid is used for heating a near headwater, which into steam to drive a turbine to rotate to generate energy. In Morocco every year has about 3000 hours sunshine, so there is a lot of solar energy can be used. But the plant can also be generated electricity at night, "liquid heat can be stored in a box filled with molten salt water tank." NASA wrote.

According to the guardian said, the current Noor I can from dawn to before sunset about three hours for 650, 000 local residents provide solar power. After completion of the power plant a day can provide 20 hours electricity. This is one of Morocco's plan, the plan will from renewable sources of energy, such as solar energy, the wind and hydroelectric generation acquired power about 42% used for household. Now the whole countries, 97% energy consumption are depending on imports. The new on and off grid solar power system plants and can reduce the dependence, in the meantime will reduce Morocco millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Posted by Sarah Hwong , Feb 18,2016