14 DAY TRIAL // Wind and solar power are expected to green up Morocco's energy grid, as the African Development Bank (AfDB) decides to approve two historic loans summing $365 million. The significant amount will help Eskom develop Ouarzazate, its first large-scale project, exploiting the advantages of 500 MW clean solar thermal power.
This initiative has to be put into practice, in order to change the global perception of Eskom, a company that decides to invest in earth-friendly resources even if its own conduct is far from being green at this point in time, reports Clean Technica.
Eskom is South Africa's leading energy provider, as it delivers up to 95% of the total amount of energy and up to 60% of the total amount of energy the entire African continent is currently using. It is a profitable enterprise, since its sale numbers reveal it ranks among the nine most successful players in the list of electric utilities suppliers.
Even so, it is far from being eco-consious as it represents the 13th most active company when it comes to pollution and GHG emissions, on an international scale.
Eskom's activity has depended mostly on thermal coal for its electricity generation. The significant loans expected from the African Development Bank will green up its activities, while offering the North African's nation the chance to value its natural assets, boosting the development of alternative sources of power.
The South African government also encourages this initiative, as it plans to bring clean resources to the next level, by expanding their usage so they can respond to up to 42% of the overall energy demand by 2030, according to the Integrated Resource Plan.
While in developing countries the expansion of renewables is delayed by insufficient funds, AfDB commits to give a boost to the field of alternative power, focusing its efforts mainly on Morocco's Solar Power Plan, aiming to supply the entire grid with 2000 MW of solar power by 2020. So far, the bank didn't reveal its contribution, but exact numbers are expected by the end of this year.
The entire project is meant to guide Morocco's steps to a more sustainable path. More power plants imply more jobs in green sectors and much more eco-friendly power meant to limit the harmful usage of fossil fuels.
According to experts, the entire African continent is a rather insignificant source of pollution, compared to China or the United State, since it is responsible for only 4% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions decreasing the air quality.