Abengoa's Ain Beni Mathar Hybrid Solar-Gas Plant Awarded by the African Development Bank

With 160 hectares and located 81 km south of Oujda and about 30 km from the Algerian border, Ain Beni Mathar was opened on May 12, 2010 as the first solar thermal plant in Africa, and the first to start commercial operation with Integrated Solar Combine Cycle (ISCC) technology in the world. The power plant, which combines solar energy, natural gas and steam, and is at the forefront of this kind of technology, has a capacity of 472 MW supplied through a pipeline of 12.6 km connected to the Maghreb-Europe pipeline.

Abengoa was responsible for developing and starting this plant, which generates the 10 % of the electricity consumed in Morocco. Since its opening to date, the company is responsible for its operation and maintenance.

With this award, Abengoa demonstrates its expertise in the operation and maintenance of power plants, while consolidating its position in the international market by means of the development, operation and maintenance of hybrid solar-gas plants, water treatment and cogeneration.

Abengoa has been present in Africa for over 35 years, is currently developing in countries such as South Africa, Algeria and Morocco desalination plants with a capacity to treat more than 660,000 m³ of water per day, over 1,600 km of transmission and distribution lines, and solar plants that generate over 870 MW of energy. All these are projects that contribute to the development of energy infrastructure on the continent.

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