(17 December 2014) — Abengoa has been awarded the third prize for excellence awarded by the African Development Bank for the combined cycle plant of Ain Beni Mathar. The objective of this award is to recognize excellence in projects that contribute to sustainable development in Africa. With 160 hectares and located 81 kilometers (km) south of Oujda and about 30 km from the Algerian border, Ain Beni Mathar was opened on 12 May 2010 as the first solar thermal plant in Africa, and the first to start commercial operation with integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) technology in the world. The power plant, which combines solar energy, natural gas and steam, has a capacity of 472 megawatts (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 10 percent 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. The company is currently developing in countries such as South Africa, Algeria and Morocco desalination plants with a capacity to treat more than 660,000 cubic meters 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.