The plant will manufacture other models of blades, up to 75 meters in length, in the future.
The 37,500 square meter facility began production in April of 2017. It is strategically located in the industrial area of "Tanger Automotive City", approximately 35 kilometers from the Tangier Med port, a key location between Europe and Africa.
Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, highlighted the strength of the project.
"This factory is fundamental to our company and responds to a solid business decision. We invest where we see great business opportunities and here in Morocco, those opportunities are stronger than ever. In addition to Morocco, the location in Tangiers gives us direct access to some of the most important markets of the future: the Middle East, Europe and the Mediterranean region, "he stressed.
The company expects the facility to create more than 600 skilled jobs and some 500 indirect jobs. The Minister of Industry, Investment, Commerce and Digital Economy, El Alamy, stated "it is a pride for Morocco to be the headquarters of the first blade factory in all Africa and Middle East.”
Siemens Gamesa has also established a training center for new employees to aid in the transfer of the technical skills necessary to have an optimized manufacturing process.
Fouad Brini, president of Tangier Med Special Agency (TSMA) has supported the project, stating, "Siemens Gamesa project confirms the attractiveness of Tangier Med for multinationals.“
"Electricity demand in Morocco has increased by 6.7% annually from 2003 to 2013. Renewable energy is particularly attractive as it provides a secure supply of electricity, contributing to the country's energy independence. Our commitment to the Moroccan government is clear: we will work together to solve the energy challenges of today and tomorrow, "said Ricardo Chocarro, CEO of the Onshore business at Siemens Gamesa.
The new plant will play an essential role in meeting Morocco's renewable energy objectives. The country expects that by the year 2030 52% of the energy produced will be obtained from renewable sources and that of that percentage, 20% corresponds to wind energy. The 850 MW project to be built by the Siemens Gamesa, Nareva and ENEL consortium represents a very important step towards achieving this goal.
