World’s biggest solar panel activated in Morocco

The King of Morocco, His Majesty Mohammed VI, has officially opened the first phase of what will eventually be the largest global CSP plant - the same size as Morocco’s capital city Rabat.

The world's biggest solar power plant , Noor-Ouarzazate has been activated in the city of Ouarzazate in Morocco.

The Plant, that will power 1 million homes in the next two years, is also visible from space. The King of Morocco, His Majesty Mohammed VI, has officially opened the first phase of what will eventually be the largest global CSP plant - the same size as Morocco’s capital city Rabat.

According to engineers, once Noor I, Noor II and Noor III are up and running, they will be reducing carbon emissions by 760 000 tons per year, which could result in an estimated reduction of over 17.5 million tons of carbon emissions over 25 years!

 It will also put Morocco in a position to sell power to the U.S.

The process, simply put, works like this: Sun rays hit the solar power plant's mirrors, heating up a liquid. This liquid, mixed with water, then reaches temperatures of up to 400°C. Steam produced from this heated water facilitates a turbine which then produces energy

For the energy to be stored and used on cloudy days, or at night, a cylinder of salt melts by the warmth of the mirrors during the day and stays hot enough to produce power for up to three hours at night.