RABAT (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS) – Morocco is focusing on floating photovoltaics as an innovative solution to the growing challenges of water scarcity and energy demand. This is according to the Yabiladi website, which republishes a study conducted by Moroccan researchers, which finds that the Kingdom’s artificial reservoirs offer strategic potential. The study, conducted on 58 Moroccan dams with a total surface area of approximately 433 square kilometers, highlights that these reservoirs lose nearly 909 million cubic meters of water each year due to evaporation.
According to the researchers, covering just 1% of the dams’ surface area with floating solar panels could significantly contribute to national energy needs, while 40% coverage would theoretically meet the country’s entire electricity demand. In addition to generating renewable electricity, this technology would significantly reduce water evaporation, with an estimated reduction of between 25% and 60% depending on climate conditions. Panels installed on water also benefit from natural cooling, improving their energy efficiency by up to 2% compared to land-based systems.
Among the sites most exposed to evaporation is the Al Wahda Dam, which records an estimated annual loss of over 183 million cubic meters of water. The study’s authors therefore emphasize the urgency of accelerating innovative solutions in a context marked by increasingly frequent droughts.
Morocco has already launched several pilot projects in the sector, including the 360-kilowatt Sidi Slimane floating power plant and the Oued Rmel dam project near Tangier, with a planned capacity of 13 megawatts, which will cover approximately 14% of the Tangier-Med port’s energy needs. This strategy is part of the Kingdom’s national goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the energy mix to 52% by 2030. Yabiladi also notes that, thanks to over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year and rapidly growing installed green capacity, Morocco aims to consolidate its position as a regional hub for the energy transition.
– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
