Morocco aims for a 'privileged partnership' with Germany in renewable energies

Germany and Morocco could reap many benefits through closer collaboration on renewable energies, according to the president of the business council of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Badr Ikken, who also assures that, in this field, the Kingdom is becoming a "privileged partner" of Berlin. 

Speaking at an event on small and medium-sized enterprises, Ikken stressed that these companies need affordable renewable energy, a sector where Morocco can offer "huge opportunities and important assets", according to Morocco World News.  

In this regard, Ikken highlighted Morocco's new initiative that focuses on green hydrogen and renewable energy as a driver of GDP growth and job creation in the country. This recently published energy strategy promises to increase GDP by 5% and create 400,000 new jobs, according to recent government officials. 

The president of the CGEM business council described the initiative as a "clear and transparent" platform for developing renewable energy projects and attracting the necessary investment for ambitious projects.  

"Germany, as Europe's leading economic power, needs partners, and the Kingdom, which offers great potential for cooperation, can meet Germany's energy needs," Ikken said, highlighting in particular "the use of clean electricity or green hydrogen". 

Morocco has great potential to develop its renewable energy sector due to the country's assets in terms of wind and solar power generation. The North African nation is already home to the world's largest photovoltaic plant and aims to rapidly decarbonise its energy mix. 

In addition, some of Morocco's largest companies, including fertiliser giant OCP Group, have shown great dedication to ensuring that their production processes use renewable sources of water and energy.  

Part of Rabat's ambition to decarbonise depends on the transition to hydrogen fuel, which allows for the storage of renewably generated energy. However, this remains one of the biggest challenges, as does the use of wind and solar energy to reliably power national electricity grids and industry.   

Meanwhile, European countries, and the EU itself, have expressed their willingness to invest in renewable energy in African countries. Funding local green energy projects is seen as a way to reduce Europe's enormous impact on climate change, as well as a means to counter China's growing influence in Africa after years of supporting African infrastructure and extraction projects.