Energy
From The Report: Morocco 2019
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Lacking the hydrocarbons reserves of some of its neighbours, Morocco has had to rely on imports of fossil fuels to develop its economy. This has left the country exposed to fluctuations in global energy prices and has impacted the kingdom’s budgetary position. However, the country has taken measures to reduce dependence on energy imports. Over the last several years the kingdom has been able to develop know-how in the renewable sector, expand its clean energy production capacity, and establish a new industry that is helping to attract investment and create jobs. All this has helped to inject dynamism into the kingdom’s energy sector, and this momentum is likely to continue over the coming years. In order to be able to build on these achievements, however, the sector authorities will need to step up regulatory efforts to properly define market conditions. This chapter contains an interview with Bertrand Piccard, Founder and President, Solar Impulse Foundation, and UN Ambassador.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Clean matter: Natural gas and renewable energy generation take centre stage as the country strives to reduce its dependence on imports
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Lacking the hydrocarbons reserves of some of its neighbours, Morocco has had to rely on imports of fossil fuels to develop its economy. This has left the country exposed to fluctuations in global energy prices and has impacted the kingdom’s budgetary position. However, a handful of measures to reduce dependence on energy imports are finally translating into palpable results and initiating a restructuring of the sector. In 2008 Morocco took a strategic decision to embark on a programme…

Analysis

Wind, sun and water: Ambitious goals are set to increase generation of renewable energy and revamp electricity production
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Pressured by rising electricity demand and the associated energy import bill, Morocco has been channelling sector investment into the improvement of its energy generation capacity. With a focus on renewable energy and efficiency of electricity production, the kingdom has been adding installed capacity over recent years. Adequate and reliable electricity production is a necessary driver for Morocco’s long-term development. The population has increased from 31.6m to 35.7m over the past decade,…

Interview

Example to follow: Bertrand Piccard, Founder and President, Solar Impulse Foundation; and UN Ambassador, on how Morocco is leading the way in terms of renewable energy and diversifying its mix
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Interview:Bertrand Piccard How has Morocco’s renewable energy programme proved a success so far? BERTRAND PICCARD: Morocco has very limited fossil fuel reserves, and it has had to adapt its energy strategy to this deficit. Despite being advised not to invest in local renewable solutions by leading strategic consulting firms around the year 2009, the authorities were wise enough to launch a vast development plan focused on solar, wind and hydroelectric capacities, with an initial goal of…

Analysis

Trash to treasure: Managing urban waste presents challenges, but government efforts are unlocking related benefits
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As the government continues to push towards more sustainable policies for everything from energy generation to agricultural practices, the problem of dealing with the kingdom’s rising quantities of solid waste is taking centre stage in the planning of urban development. As many as 5m tonnes of solid waste are generated across the kingdom every year, according to figures from sustainability initiative EcoMena, and output is growing at an average of 3% per annum. This means that failure to…

Analysis

Financing change: Green bonds are starting to support a switch to cleaner energy, but attitudes in the banking sector must also shift
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With Morocco’s future electricity generation capacity firmly dependant on renewable energy sources, attracting private financing for new projects is critical. Green bonds are an increasingly viable option to help finance energy production in the kingdom. Although they were initially restricted to multilateral finance institutions, more and more private lenders and institutions are following the same path. Expanding the role of green bonds and other types of environmentally sound financing…