GWEC report: Morocco’s wind energy sector might generate over USD 1 billion

By investing in its “enormous” potential in the sector, which the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) referred to in a report, Morocco is expected to generate 75,000 employment and more than $1 billion in gross value added to the local economy within five years.

Since 2016, Morocco has started sweeping changes to expand its renewable energy industry. In particular, the monarchy has targeted meeting more than half of its energy requirements through the use of renewable resources by the year 2030.

Morocco is already taking action to fulfill its amended 2021 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets under the Paris Agreement, according to the GWEC, as a developing nation with low per capita emissions.

The organization highlighted that the kingdom remained “primarily dependent on the international energy market, since it imports more than 90% of its energy needs” in its new research, which focuses on the Moroccan experience.

The necessity for Morocco to implement a more self-sufficient energy policy is highlighted by the fact that domestic energy costs have climbed dramatically as a result of the country’s recent focus on energy security.

In this regard, the Moroccan government aims to improve supply security by lowering reliance on energy imports, notably by increasing the use of renewable sources for the production of power.

Morocco may install 43% of its onshore wind capacity in an accelerated transition scenario and provided impediments linked to legislative frameworks, transmission infrastructure, and permitting regimes are addressed, according to a new analysis from the World Wind Energy Council.

The kingdom, after South Africa and Egypt, has one of the largest onshore wind farms on the African continent, according to GWEC, and it has exceptional wind resources.

By 2035, installed capacity is anticipated to reach 5 GW thanks to aggressive renewable energy targets.

Regarding the country’s energy mix, the same source notes that Morocco has already surpassed its target of 42% renewable energy by 2020. This makes a 10% increase in renewable energy until 2030 look “realistic.”

“Wind capacity targets may be more challenging to meet, though.

The country “has not been able to fulfill its 2 GW wind energy objective in 2020, despite capacity increasing continually up to that point,” according to the report.

Furthermore, even if the proportion of renewable energy has consistently increased over the past ten years, Morocco’s energy balance is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels.

The existing obstacles to wind energy in Morocco are also described by GWEC. According to the council, “grid law,” which it cites, turbine providers “are struggling to meet some of the requirements” of the new rules for grid connection, which “complicates the project development process and delays them.”

“New expenses for using the grid have been added, increasing the selling price of electricity for independent power producers, making their projects less competitive compared to those carried out by ONEE,” it claims.

Also, the article discusses “competition with solar,” lamenting the fact that “current legislation does not permit wind and solar projects to share grid connection points.”

“Projects that combine solar and wind energy are likewise prohibited. The GWEC explains that this makes it more difficult for developers to co-develop dual-technology projects and raises competition among them for available space.

The GWEC offers a number of solutions to address these issues, including “equalizing the costs of the network for independent power producers and ONEE” to “improve the competitiveness of private wind projects, reduce the costs of long-term projects, and boost returns on investment.”

According to the council, this will increase investor trust and installation rates. It also says that “allowing wind and solar projects to share grid points” will take away “the element of competition between projects,” “encourage collaboration between renewable energy project developers,” and “use Morocco’s significant green hydrogen targets to further encourage wind power generation.”