Morocco is going green by increasing its renewable energy capacity
Morocco's energy transition has reached a turning point. The initiative launched by the Ministry of Renewable Energy to promote investments in this area has been monumental, with an allocation of 60 billion dirhams earmarked for renewable energy, reaching a total capacity of approximately 4.6 gigawatts.
The Kingdom has made significant investments in the renewable energy sector. During the current government's term in office, several projects with a capacity of 2,000 megawatts have been confirmed. These operational renewable energy projects have contributed to meeting almost one-fifth of the national electricity demand, reducing energy dependency from 97.5% in 2009 to approximately 90% today.
New measures and investments
According to Maroc Diplomatique, a number of measures have been implemented, including programming the creation of additional renewable energy capacity of more than 7,500 megawatts between 2023 and 2027. These figures represent 78% of the total additional capacity planned for this period, excluding green hydrogen and seawater desalination.
One of the most prominent projects is the acceleration of the construction of the Noor Midelt solar complex, scheduled for completion in 2027. In addition, authorisations have been granted for a number of industrial units that will use renewable energies, thus contributing to reducing the energy bill and carbon footprint.
Over the period 2023-2027, the Kingdom's regional integration is estimated to cost a total of 23.4 billion dirhams. By 2030, investments will increase fivefold, including battery storage and pumped storage and power stations (STEP). In fact, the average investment in the national electricity grid will increase to approximately 4.68 billion dirhams per year, compared to an annual average of one billion dirhams between 2009 and 2022.
Diversification of renewable energy sources
Renewable energies are considered the future, as they emit little CO2 and do not require the import of fuels. However, they have the disadvantage of being intermittent. Solar energy only works when the sun is shining and wind energy only when the wind is blowing. However, renewable energies are not limited to these two sources. They also include hydropower, which produces electricity through water power; geothermal energy, which harnesses heat from underground; biomass, which generates electricity by burning organic matter; and marine energy, which produces electricity from currents, tides and marine matter.
The choice of these energy sources depends on the climate and natural resources of each country. Another difficulty is the lack of capacity to store electricity on a large scale, which can cause imbalances between hourly electricity supply and demand.
Potential for job creation
Despite their strong potential for job creation (an investment of one million dollars creates 14 jobs in renewable energies compared to 5 in oil and gas), renewable energies do not always have a favourable context for their development. Nevertheless, the Moroccan government's commitment to these energies shows a firm commitment to a more sustainable future that is less dependent on fossil fuels.
Morocco is therefore at a crucial crossroads in its energy transition, with substantial investments and ambitious projects that promise to transform the energy landscape and significantly reduce dependence on non-renewable sources.