Abdeslam Ababou provides princely back-up for Xlinks' giant solar power project

摘要

British start-up Xlinks, which is promoting a plan to build a massive solar power plant in southern Morocco with a direct link to the UK electricity grid, is being assisted by Ababou's investment bank Red Med Capital, which has close links to Mohammed VI's brother, Prince Moulay Rachid. The electricity inter-connector project drawn up by UKstart-up Xlinks, which has been the object of an efficientmedia campaign since July, would involve feeding "green"electricity from Morocco directly into the British grid,breaking all kinds of records in the process. With aninvestment totalling at least $22bn, it provides for solarpanels and wind turbines spread over a 1,500 km² areaand producing 10.5 GW of electricity and a high voltagecable extending over 3,800 km from the region ofGuelmim-Oued Noun to the county of Devon in southwestern England. To help it make the project a reality,Xlinks has found a well-connected Moroccan backer inAbdeslam Ababou, a financier with close links withMohammed VI's brother, Moulay Rachid.