The Moroccan city of Ouarzazate, about 200 kilometers southeast of Marrakech and known as the “door to the desert,” is better known for Atlas Film Studios, where films and series from The Mummy to Game of Thrones were shot. Now a new industry is growing on a high plateau hemmed by the Atlas Mountains: one of the world’s largest solar power plants, Noor — Arabic for “light.”
Spanning nearly 500 hectares, the Noor complex produces enough energy to power more than a million homes. But it is not a typical photovoltaic farm. Noor uses concentrated solar power (CSP): about 2 million large mirrors focus sunlight onto a receiver atop a 247-meter tower. The concentrated light heats molten salt to around 600 °C, producing steam that drives turbines and can generate electricity hours after sunset.
Despite Noor’s scale, electricity remains costly in Ouarzazate and many households still rely on butane gas. Clean energy has not translated into broadly cheaper local power. One major reason is Morocco’s broader energy system: the grid remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels, especially coal. Intissar Fakir, senior fellow and founding director of the North Africa and the Sahel program at the Middle East Institute, says that fossil-fuel generated electricity accounts for about 48% of the country’s energy‑related greenhouse gas emissions — a dependence that slows the transition to renewables.
Moroccans spend roughly $110 of an average $550 monthly income on electricity. In a hot, dry country where air conditioning or fans are common — Ouarzazate regularly exceeds 40 °C in summer — that is a significant burden. Morocco imports about 90% of its coal, oil and gas, making the country vulnerable to market and price swings and putting pressure on national budgets, which in turn heightens urgency to move away from imported fossil fuels.
Morocco has nevertheless made notable progress on renewables compared with many neighbors. The government’s plans are ambitious: by 2030 it aims for 52% of electricity from renewables, and by 2050 for 70% clean power capacity. The nation’s geography — ample sun and coastal wind — supports those targets. Noor is one of roughly two dozen large-scale solar, wind and hydro megaprojects already built, with several dozen more planned. Morocco has also pledged to phase out coal entirely by 2040.
However, deployment and integration lag behind capacity. While Morocco currently has enough renewable technology on paper to generate about 46% of its electricity, in 2023 actual renewable generation delivered a little over half of that potential. “The actual output in the country’s ability to integrate what Noor produces remains quite limited,” Fakir said, stressing the need for greater investment in grid capacity and energy storage to make intermittent sources usable on a daily basis. More investment is also needed if Morocco wants to export clean power, for example to Europe. Even as solar panels and wind turbines fall in price, building large-scale systems requires significant upfront investment — a particular challenge for lower-income countries.
Researchers and civil society groups have criticized the focus on megaprojects like Noor rather than more decentralized approaches, such as rooftop photovoltaic systems for homes, businesses and farms. Decentralized systems can deliver local benefits more directly and reduce transmission and integration challenges.
There are also environmental and social concerns around CSP megaprojects. Concentrated solar installations are water intensive: mirrors must be regularly cleaned of sand and dust, demanding substantial water resources in arid regions. Large tracts of grazing land near Ouarzazate were appropriated for Noor with limited consultation, and many locals feel they have seen few benefits. Some residents complain that electricity remains expensive and that the solar tower’s mirrors and concentrated light have raised local temperatures. An 83‑year‑old resident, Imrane, voiced such frustrations.
Fakir describes Noor as an experiment: a flagship demonstrating Morocco’s technical capabilities. “These are great flagship projects that prove the extent of Morocco’s technical capabilities,” she said. “But they also again highlight the challenge that even with these massive investments, renewables are still struggling to displace the entrenched coal and fossil fuel generation.”
Noor has put Morocco on the map as a renewable energy innovator, but its ultimate success will depend on upgrading the grid, investing in storage, addressing local environmental and social impacts, and balancing large-scale projects with decentralized solutions that deliver more immediate benefits to communities.
Edited by: Stuart Braun
This article was adapted from a DW Living Planet radio series on solar energy. To listen, click here.