Casablanca has signed the final agreements to build the country’s first waste-to-energy plant, clearing the way for construction to begin. The concession agreement was signed between the Municipality of Casablanca and a consortium made up of Nareva, Swiss-Japanese company Kanadevia Inova and Japan’s Itochu Corporation. Electricity purchase agreements were also signed with the Casablanca-Settat Regional Multi-Services Company (SRM) and the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE).
The project will now move into its engineering and construction phase.
The plant will be built on a 264-hectare site in Mediouna under a 33.5-year concession. It will process all household waste produced across Greater Casablanca, serving more than 4.2 million people.
Around 4,000 tonnes of waste will be treated every day, or about 1.5 million tonnes a year. The facility is expected to recover around 80% of the waste it receives while reducing its volume by about 87%.
The project is expected to cost around MAD 14 billion ($1.4 billion-$1.5 billion).
Once completed, the plant will generate about 126 megawatts (MW) of electricity from waste. Another 50MW will come from solar panels and 4MW from landfill biogas recovery.
Together, the three sources are expected to produce around one terawatt-hour (1TWh) of electricity each year. That is enough to supply nearly one million people. The project is also expected to provide about 20% of household electricity demand in Casablanca and 30% of the city’s public lighting needs.
The facility will be built next to the Mediouna landfill, one of Africa’s largest landfill sites. The landfill has faced years of environmental problems, including methane fires, polluted runoff and waste piles reaching around 70 metres high.
Turning waste into electricity instead of burying it is expected to prevent between 0.5 and one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions for every tonne of waste treated. The plant has also been designed so carbon capture technology can be added later.
Construction is expected to create around 1,240 jobs over three and a half years, as well as 300 support jobs. Around 140 permanent jobs will be created once the plant begins operating.
The facility will use three combustion lines, advanced combustion controls, selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) technology to cut nitrogen oxide emissions and modern flue gas cleaning systems. Emissions will meet European Union Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) and Best Available Techniques (BAT) standards.
About 70% of Casablanca’s household waste is organic and contains high levels of moisture. The plant has been designed to handle this type of waste while producing a steady supply of electricity throughout the year.
Unlike solar and wind power, waste-to-energy plants can generate electricity around the clock, providing a stable source of power.
World Bank projections show annual municipal waste in the country is expected to rise from 7.4 million tonnes in 2022 to 17.6 million tonnes by 2050. The Casablanca project could serve as a model for similar plants in cities such as Marrakech, Tangier and Agadir.
Nareva, owned by investment group Al Mada, develops wind, solar and thermal power projects as well as green hydrogen and desalination projects. Its portfolio includes the 300MW Tarfaya Wind Farm and wind parks in Akhfenir, Haouma and Foum El Oued.
Kanadevia Inova, formerly known as Hitachi Zosen Inova, specialises in designing and building waste-to-energy plants. The Zurich-based company says its technology is used in more than 1,500 facilities worldwide.
Itochu Corporation is one of Japan’s largest trading companies and has extensive experience in international infrastructure and public-private partnership projects.
SRM Casablanca-Settat manages electricity, water and sanitation services across the region, while ONEE operates the national electricity grid and drinking water network.
