OCP commissions Morocco’s first utility-scale battery — and starts eyeing its own phosphates as feedstock

OCP is starting to put its own phosphates into batteries: OCP Green Energy has commissioned Morocco’s first utility-scale lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery storage system at its Benguerir mining site, Morocco World News reports. The facility cost MAD 170 mn (USD 18 mn), backed by an additional USD 20 mn from the African Development Bank-managed Clean Technology Fund. The company is separately working with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University on producing LFP material from its own phosphoric acid, with a domestic battery supply chain as the longer-term goal.

The 25 MW / 125 MWh battery energy storage system is expected to cut Benguerir’s peak electricity costs by an estimated 25% once fully operational. It pairs with the 67 MWp of solar already on site, part of a 202 MWp portfolio across three OCP locations.

Bigger and better

Emirati leisure and entertainment developer Miral is committing over AED 12 bn over the next five years to expand and upgrade Yas Island, adding new attractions, rides, experiences, and hotel capacity as Abu Dhabi pushes to deepen its global tourism footprint, according to an Abu Dhabi Media Office statement.

The investment is separate from the previously announced Disney project and will fund a pipeline spanning existing theme park and attraction expansions, alongside new experiences tailored to shifting visitor demand.

Building for the afterparty

Expo 2030 Riyadh is bringing private capital into its development pipeline, signing a SAR 3.2 bn joint venture with Mohammed Al Habib Real Estate to develop Expo Village, according to a press release. The village will include around 2.3k residential units with capacity for roughly 5.5k residents, alongside retail, dining, amenities, and services. The agreement reflects a push toward “building effective partnerships with the private sector,” Expo 2030 Riyadh CEO Talal Al Marri said.

Built for Expo, but designed to stay: The village is designed to serve the six-month event and retain its value after it closes. “The project is conceived as a new district of Riyadh — a destination for the city and for future generations — built around a high-quality public realm: shaded, climate-responsive, walkable, and connected to nature,” Executive Director and Head of Design Giovanna Carnevali said on LinkedIn.

First foreign flag

Real estate developer VA Group is now the first international developer to take on a phase of Oman’s Port Sultan Qaboos Waterfront Masterplan, with the real estate developer securing long-term land rights at Oman's historic Muttrah waterfront in partnership with state developer Omran Group. The 18.5-hectare mixed use development will combine residences with leisure and retail facilities. No details on the investment value were disclosed.

First in line

Qatar has folded a payments wallet into company registration: Businesses in Qatar can now apply for an Ooredoo Money merchant wallet directly within the commercial registration process on the Commerce and Industry Ministry’s Single Window Platform, under a cooperation agreement signed with Ooredoo Fintech Qatar. Ooredoo Money is the first fintech to join the platform. The tie-up cuts reliance on manual transactions and paper documents, the ministry said.

IN CONTEXT- Ooredoo Money first entered digital payments in 2022, when the Qatar Central Bank issued it and iPay by Vodafone Qatar the country’s first digital-payment-service licenses. The central bank has since licensed 15 fintech companies under that framework.