Ouarzazate Solar Power Station
| Ouarzazate Solar Power Station | |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Location | Ouarzazate |
| Coordinates | 31°02′57″N 6°52′10″W / 31.0492°N 6.8694°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | May 2013 |
| Commission date | February 2016 |
| Construction cost | $9 billion |
| Owner | |
| Cooling source | El Mansour Eddahbi Dam/Reservoir |
| Power generation | |
| Nameplate capacity |
|
| Annual net output | 370 GWh (Noor I) 600 GWh (Noor II) 500 GWh (Noor III) |
| External links | |
| Commons | Related media on Commons |
Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (OSPS), also called Noor Power Station (نور, Arabic for light) is a solar power complex and auxiliary diesel fuel system located in the Drâa-Tafilalet region in Morocco, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Ouarzazate town, in Ghessat rural council area. At 510 MW, it is the world's largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plant. With an additional 72 MW photovoltaic system the entire project was planned to produce 582 MW. The total project's estimated cost is around $9 billion.
The auxiliary diesel fuel system is used to maintain the minimal temperatures of the heat transfer fluid during times when the sun does not shine (including at night), to start the startup and synchronize the turbine to the electrical grid, and other auxiliary functions.
The plant was completed in four phases and covers an area of over 3,000 hectares (12 sq mi). It can store solar energy in the form of heated molten salt, allowing for production of electricity into the night.