Morocco’s first 1,000 MW offshore wind project is part of the country’s national strategy to ensure that over 52% of its electricity mix comes from renewable sources by 2030.
Morocco officially announced its first offshore wind farm project with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, to be built near Essaouira. The initiative was unveiled on June 10 in Nice during the Mediterranean Day at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3).
This project is among the first investments financed by the Blue Mediterranean Partnership (BMP), a multi-donor fund created to support a sustainable blue economy in the southern Mediterranean and Red Sea regions. Construction of the wind farm, scheduled to begin by 2029, will mark Morocco’s first offshore wind project.
“This project aligns with a dynamic that combines energy independence, industrial attractiveness, and economic competitiveness,” said Leila Benali, Moroccan Minister of Energy Transition.
The initiative supports the national strategy aiming to ensure that more than 52% of Morocco’s electricity mix will come from renewable sources by 2030.
The Essaouira coast was specifically chosen for its strong and consistent sea winds, with average speeds reaching 11 meters per second. These conditions make the area particularly suitable for offshore wind development and ensure favorable technical profitability for electricity production.
The BMP, which finances feasibility studies and technical assistance for the project, now has €22 million in available funds. Spain recently committed €8.5 million to the partnership, joining Sweden, Germany, France, and the European Union as contributors.
In addition to Morocco’s wind project, two other initiatives have been selected for this first phase of BMP funding. In Jordan, a project will restore the Ayla oasis in the Gulf of Aqaba by regenerating a coral ecosystem and implementing a thermal energy storage (TES) system. Coral cover is expected to increase by 240%, while the TES system will save more than 1.2 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year.
In Egypt, a wastewater treatment plant in East Alexandria, scheduled for operation by 2028, will treat 300,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day. This facility will benefit 1.5 million people and directly reduce marine pollution.
This announcement comes as the global offshore wind sector is experiencing rapid growth. According to Rystad Energy, global offshore wind capacity is expected to increase by 19 gigawatts in 2025.
Morocco is now joining this fast-growing global market, potentially encouraging other Mediterranean countries to pursue similar initiatives.
Since the first ministerial declaration on the sustainable blue economy in 2015, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) has mobilized more than €500 million for over 250 regional projects.
Source: apanews
