United Arab Emirates, Dubai – Morocco’s Khalladi Wind Farm owned and operated by ACWA Power has been registered with the first International Renewable Energy Certificate Standard (I-REC) by Dubai Carbon, the authorised I-RECs issuer and treasurer for the UAE, Morocco, Jordan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This project is part of a wider sustainable effort which aims to position Morocco as a green differentiator in the region, with the country leading the renewable energy market in the Arab World with 3.6 GW of renewable energy plants already dispatching energy into the grid and 3.6 GW under development all within the commitment to reach 52% of power generation capacity of Morocco from renewable energy by 2030.

Paddy Padmanathan, President and CEO of ACWA Power, said: “We are proud to be contributing to the durability of Morocco’s economic and social development through utilizing the Kingdom’s rich and lucrative renewable resources, which directly reduces energy imports and conserves foreign currency on the long-term, and established a renewable energy supply chain in Kingdom and cultivates local employment. With our aim  to conserve the environments we operate in and contribute to the Kingdom’s goal of maxisimizing environmental efficiency, we are extremely proud to mark the Khalladi wind farm as the first transaction of Morocco that qualifies for International Renewable Energy Certificate Standard which has also secured the Gold Standard certification, in keeping with ACWA Power’s commitment to accelerate Morocco’s vision to minimize impact on climate change and propagate sustainable development by transitioning to a low-carbon green economy”.

The Khalladi wind farm, located in Jbel Sendouq (30 km from Tangier), has a capacity of 120 MW generating energy equal to the annual average energy consumption of a city of 400,000 people.

The plant will produce around 380 GWh annually, directly powering major industrial customers connected to the high voltage network. The Khalladi wind power plant is the first ACWA Power project to be developed within the framework of the Law 13-09 on renewable energy in Morocco.

The law encourages the development of renewable sources in order to promote energy security and access, Sustainable Development, and integration of Morocco’s renewable energy production with other markets. ACWA Power Khalladi is the second private company to succeed the launching of a large wind farm within the framework of this law.

The I-REC standard will provide the farm with a standardised process for the implementation of energy attribute tracking systems, so the end user of the energy can prove they have consumed renewable energy, with each REC being proof that one megawatt-hour (MWh) of renewable energy has been produced.

“Renewable energy is essential at this time, and I-RECs enable companies to show they have reduced their carbon footprint. We are proud to pioneer the development of the I-REC standard in Morocco, and register the first Project in the country. The issuing of I-RECs will promote the country’s progress in the renewable landscape and position it as an environmentally advanced country,” said Ivano Iannelli, Dubai Carbon Chief Executive Officer.

There are many other potential projects in Morocco that could benefit from the I-RECs, such as that of Khalladi project, with Dubai Carbon already issuing I-RECs for two more of ACWA Power’s projects. Dubai Carbon has been the local issuer of I-RECs in the UAE since 2017 and has also obtained such status in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

The I-REC Standard is a non profit foundation giving buyers of electricity renewable energy choices worldwide, and enables purchasing and selling of renewable electricity, for consumers, traders, brokers, electricity suppliers, electricity generators and national governments. It is the only way to prove ownership of the environmental and economic benefits of the purchased renewable energy. In the UAE and beyond, Dubai Carbon adheres to the regulations and requirements of the I-REC standard to ensure the quality of its attribute certificate system.

With the aim of enabling resource efficiency, Dubai Carbon is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of not just the UAE, but countries in the region and across the world.