The Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex is in Morocco, near the city of Ouarzazate. It is a major concentrated-solar power development on the edge of the Sahara, where abundant sunshine supports large mirror fields.
The complex includes several plants using different solar technologies. Noor I, for example, uses parabolic trough collectors that heat a fluid, while later stages include a central solar tower. Thermal storage allows some electricity generation after sunset, distinguishing concentrated solar power from ordinary photovoltaic panels.
Construction began during Morocco’s effort to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and expand domestic renewable generation. The project is associated with MASEN, Morocco’s renewable-energy agency, and forms part of the country’s wider solar strategy.
Ouarzazate is sometimes confused with Morocco’s entire national solar program, but Noor is one specific complex. Morocco also operates wind and hydropower projects, making its renewable portfolio broader than solar alone.