Renewable energy consultancy OWC has been appointed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to lead a consortium conducting a feasibility study for Morocco’s first offshore wind project.
The study will evaluate the development of an offshore wind farm endorsed by the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN), focusing on the Atlantic coast near Essaouira.
OWC leads a consortium that includes marine, environmental, wind specialists, and engineering and project management companies from Africa, Europe, and Morocco, such as PHENIXA of Ginger Group, Gaïa Terre Bleue, NOVEC, and SOFECO.
“This is a major milestone in Morocco’s and Africa’s renewable energy journey,” said Hakim Mouslim, OWC’s regional director for Europe and Africa. “Together with our consortium partners, OWC supports EIB and MASEN in every aspect of this pioneering project – from market analysis and technical assessments to geoscience, offshore wind design, and marine logistics.”
The two-year study is under an EIB contract, funded by the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP) Trust Fund.
The work will cover the offshore wind market, site selection, wind resource assessment via a meteorological measurement campaign, and offshore wind farm concept design, including ports and logistics, risk analysis, and regulatory framework.
The study will also involve grid impact and integration assessments with Moroccan specialists and include detailed marine advisory services and environmental and social impact assessments.
OWC will utilize its offshore wind teams in France, the UK, and Germany, while ABL will provide marine expertise. Both belong to global consultancy Aqualis.
The feasibility study follows years of EIB and MASEN efforts to explore offshore wind development in Morocco. In September 2022, EIB and MASEN signed a cooperation agreement for a EUR 2 million grant for a feasibility study on a small-scale offshore wind pilot project.
In 2024, EIB launched a tender for a two-year technical-assistance contract covering studies and an impact assessment for a potential project off Essaouira. The tender was relaunched after cancellation in July 2024.
By June 2025, Morocco’s offshore wind plans advanced to a proposed 1 GW project near Essaouira, with construction targeted to start by 2029, according to the Union for the Mediterranean. The project was identified for support through the Blue Mediterranean Partnership.
The World Bank Group estimates Morocco’s offshore wind potential at about 200 GW, including 22 GW for fixed-bottom technology and 178 GW for floating wind.
Original Story at www.offshorewind.biz