Swedish group in Morocco clean-energy collaboration

Swedish solar technology firm Cleanergy has announced joint collaboration with Masen (Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy) to step up their joint quest for low cost solar energy storage. Storage of renewable energy for on-demand distribution of cost competitive and clean electricity is key for fossil-free power generation, said a statement from the Swedish company. The collaboration between Cleanergy and Masen in concentrated solar power (CSP) and thermal energy storage (TES) solutions is taking a big step towards commercialisation. As part of the agreement, Masen will be allocated a place in Cleanergy's board of directors and also get to fund a substantial part of the company's Thermal Energy Storage R&D, industrialisation and business development. Masen said it has added valuable knowledge of the solar market to Cleanergy's strategy, besides granting access to a vast network of established partners and stakeholders in the CSP industry, as well as to new suppliers for local sourcing and production. Masen's R&D platform in Ouarzazate region of Morocco, one of the biggest worldwide, will help test the solutions in optimal solar conditions, it added. On the collaboration, Masen President Mustapha Bakkoury said: "We have a strong R&D strategy, which actively evaluates and promotes disruptive and competitive technologies. The co-development of innovative TES systems is an important step forward for CSP technologies." "Cleanergy's storage demonstrator will be installed on our R&D platform in Ouarzazate, which will help accelerate its commercialization." stated Bakkoury. Masen's team of engineers will contribute to the evaluation and design of the TES system, land and grid connection for complete system testing in Morocco, as well as introduction and demonstration for prospective customers on the African continent. Cleanergy CEO Jonas Eklind said: "Collaborating with Masen has been very positive for our development and having them onboard means we can now work even closer together." "With their incomparable experience of renewable energy and solar power we get access to a network of knowledge, resources and prospective customers. Masen will also be a key partner in verifying the technology before launching to the market,