German engineering major Siemens today said it will set up a factory in Morocco to manufacture rotor blades for onshore wind turbines.
Siemens did not reveal the size of the investment for the manufacturing facility being located in Tanger Automotive City, which is approximately 35 kilometers from Tanger Med port.
The investment in the wind turbine blade factory enables Siemens to create 700 jobs in Morocco. Siemens also aims to triple its footprint in the country.
Siemens will start the construction of the factory, which will have a surface area of 37,500 square meters, in the spring of 2016. The wind turbine blade factory will commence operations in spring 2017.
Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division, said: “Morocco is the perfect location from which to serve the growing onshore wind power markets in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.”
Moroccan government targets to generate 42 percent of its energy demand from renewables by 2020, of which 20 percent will come from wind power. This target was revised upwards and is set to 52 percent by 2030 as announced by His Majesty King Mohammed VI at the COP 21 meeting in Paris.
Siemens said the production facility will be centrally located between Europe and Africa. The engineering firm said the Tanger Med port provides the right conditions for handling and export of blades to various locations in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Siemens has already implemented several key renewable energy projects, including the 300-MW-Tarfaya project, in Morocco.
Rajani Baburajan
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