Formula racing faces another challenge. After 2014 and turning to hybrid technology with turbocharged V6 engines, the Formula One has become “quieter.” Now, there is a pressing matter of becoming more ecological and keeping pace with renewable sources of energy. Is it possible that in the near future, we will witness the merge of e-racing and good old formula racing, and the circuits will be flooded with electrically powered cars?
Morocco may provide sites to watch future development on both sides. Moroccans already hosted the second round of the Formula E Championship (Marrakesh ePrix) for the season 2018/19, in January, as the only portion of the competition that is taking place on African soil.
Thanks to this north-western country, Africa is being put on the world’s map with a remarkable contribution to the development of renewable sources of energy. The Noor-Ouarzazate complex leaves its mark on the map connected with light dots from another desert park in Zhongwei, Ningxia, China, Kamuthi in India, Rosamond in California, and Villanueva in Mexico.
By the annual production of megawatts, its 580 MW set it in the middle of this list, with the Chinese solar power plant being an absolute champion, with an almost triple MW count (1,547 MW per year). What puts the Moroccon solar farm at the top place is the unity of the complex. With the area of 3,000 hectares, it is the largest concentrated solar power plant in the world.
For you to picture the accomplishment more easily, we have put together a small list:
- the area of 3,000 hectares can be divided into 3,500 football fields,
- the plant can power a city twice the size of Marrakesh, or match the needs of the city of Prague,
- the expected reduction of harmful emissions by over 760,000 metric tonnes of CO2, measures to more than 150,000 cars less on the road,
- the plan was to make 42% of the Moroccan energy supplies to derive from renewable sources by 2020. By virtue of the Noor-Ouarzazate power plant, already 35% has been secured.
The main drive for the efforts put in the power plant complex of Noor-Ouarzazate comes from the concern about 97% of Morocco’s energy coming from imported fossil fuels. These are the data provided by the World Bank, which financed the project jointly with the international Clean Technology Fund, providing two-thirds of the total invested amount of $616 million.