The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Moroccan Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN) have announced that they would work together to achieve the Moroccan government’s renewable and green energy targets.

On September 29, the EBRD and IRESEN met in Rabat to sign a “Memorandum of Understanding” to stimulate further investment and innovation in the renewable energy sector.

“We are thrilled to partner with the EBRD in order to support the acceleration of the energy transition in Morocco.” Badr Ikken, Director General of IRESEN, said “The agreement sealed today is a pledge of confidence in the 10 years of work by IRESEN teams in supporting Morocco’s energy strategy, through research and development, innovation and capacity-building.”

Morocco’s government aims to convert 52 percent of the country’s electrical production capacity to renewable sources by 2030. Morocco has also pioneered a wide range of new green technology.

While the EBRD encourages Morocco to continue its decarbonization efforts, it also plans to help through direct and indirect finance as well as policy discussion activities.

“We are very delighted to come together with IRESEN to deepen our commitment in Morocco’s green transition,” stated Antoine Sallé de Chou, EBRD Director, Head of Morocco. Addressing the climate crisis is not a choice, but a need. As a result, it is critical to investigate all credible clean-energy technologies that could help the country accelerate its green-energy transition. This is the content of today’s memorandum.”

Morocco has been a major force behind the country’s transition to environmental sustainability. The IRESEN has been a major driving force in achieving these objectives. The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Environment, as well as other energy industry experts, founded the organization in 2011.

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Morocco and Brazil will partner up on electric mobility. According to the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, the Green Energy Park (GEP), a solar energy research and training platform based in the green city of Benguerir, has signed a technology transfer agreement with a network of Brazilian researchers in the field of car battery chargers. The agreement was signed by Inesc P&D Brasil, a non-governmental scientific and technological organization, and GEP, the result of a cooperation between the OCP Group and the Solar Energy and Renewable Energies Research Institute (l’Iresen).
According to Vladimiro Miranda, president of Inesc P&D Brazil, as quoted by ANBA, the Chamber of Commerce’s press agency, this is not the first partnership between the Brazilian institution and Morocco. During the pandemic, another project was launched, Researchers from Brazil, Portugal, and Morocco teamed up on the ‘vita pneuma,’ a device used in covid-19 emergencies. According to Vladimiro Miranda, trilateral cooperation entailed exchanging information and developing local products in response to the unique characteristics of each country.

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Fusion Green and Acquired Technologies (CCC), a Portuguese company, a global supplier of engineering solutions, signed a value chain agreement (infrastructure, safety, transport, and logistics) associated with the development of the HEVO Ammoniac project on Tuesday in Rabat.

The project, which is part of the Kingdom’s renewable energy goals, aims to produce 31,850 tons of green hydrogen, 151,800 tons of nitrogen, and 183,650 tons of green ammoniac per year.

The signing ceremony was held in particular by Mohamed Ghazali, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Badr Aiken, Chairman of the Hash-Do Group and Yahya Zniber, and representatives of the National Office for Hydrocarbons and Minerals.

On this occasion, the Director of Commercial Development for Fusion Fuel Green, João Wahnon, noted that this project, for which a total investment of 865 million Euro would be targeted, would result in production of 3650 tons of green ammonia in 2022, 20,000 tons in 2023, 40,000 tons in 2024 and 60,000 tons in 2025.

In terms of hydrogen production, 616 tons will be manufactured in 2022, 3,472 in 2023, 6,940 in 2024, and 10,000 tons and 411 in 2025 and 2026.

He declared, Morocco has the potential to develop a global leadership in the field of hydrogen production and export at the international level, as evidence by the declaration of cooperation in the field of green hydrogen signed last February between Morocco and Portugal, with the goal of setting the necessary foundations for the development of partnership in this clean energy sector between economic actors in the two countries.

He emphasized the remarkable progress and ambitions of Morocco in terms of sustainable development and renewable energies, noting that “Morocco has

raised by 2020 the share of green energies to 42 of the total electric energy, with a commitment to reach 52 percent by 2030.”

According to Mohamed Cherkaoui, scientific advisor to an American company that is a member of the Portuguese technology company Fusion Fuel Green and Consolidated Contractors (CCC), Morocco will host “the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia farm, whose production will be devoted exclusively to export to Europe.”

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A new production line for electric vehicle charging stations was launched yesterday. Developed by Moroccan competencies. According to a joint communiqué of the Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies and the University of Mohamed VI, which is a polytechnic multi-disciplinary University, this strategic project has been implemented. (iSmart), with the support of the Ministry of Energy, Minerals and Environment and the Ministry of Industry, Trade, the Green and Digital Economy.

In more detail, a communication from the Ministry revealed that the cargo station was the result of a research project developed by the green energy barn of the Institute for Research in Solar and New Energies and the multi-disciplinary University of Mohamed VI, in partnership with the Moroccan Enterprise, which specializes in electronic maintenance. The production line, which allows the assembly of many components manufactured by Moroccan partners, has been installed in Benguerir.

The production line consists of several industrial stations with advanced technology, which will enable iSmart to be better produced, and will also be used for prototypes, pre-manufacturing and manufacturing of new technology products.

As a product of the process of evaluation and research, this production line will allow, in the first year, about 20 direct jobs at Benguerir region, in addition to more than 100 indirect jobs through the system to be created with various Moroccan industrialists in the electronics, mechanical and distribution sectors.

With a production capacity of up to 300 freight stations per month, the line will ensure the production of pre-orders, through its extension and expansion, will aim to achieve annual production of 500 freight terminals with a terminus in 2022.

This innovative solution, adapted to the needs of the Moroccan and African markets, will guarantee many services to users of electric vehicles. This project also supports the liberalization of the mobility sector within the framework of industrial integration, thereby supporting companies and individuals.

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Between 2018-2019, Morocco has become a strong hub in renewable energy, exporting more energy by 670% , and reducing imports by 93.5%.

This superiority is attributed to the building of the largest concentrated solar power farm in the world. “Noor Complex” has the capability to power one million homes, and significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels.

The international organization “The Borgen Project”, specialized in environmental affairs has indicated in a recent report that “Morocco has turned into a great energy producer”. In the past, Morocco used to have 97% of its energy from fuel. However, solar energy farms are able to balance the energy use in the country, reduce imports, and create opportunities for more exports; thus, ensuring energy self-sufficient state.

“Reducing energy consumption has saved funds in energy costs”, said Veronica Booth, the writer of the report. In 2018, the Moroccan government decided to move to the GMT+1 time zone, which has resulted in less electricity consumption by citizens. This shift allows for an increase in energy production and afford its export.

The advantages of solar energy in Morocco expand to multiple fields, creating a positive impact not only for Morocco, but for the entire African continent.
The organization of “Burgen project” explained that “the degree of poverty in Morocco have witnessed a remarkable decrease; as a result, the differences between rural and urban areas are no longer highly varying.”

Veronica Booth, emphasized “this disparity between regions is often ascribed to the difficulty in distributing energy, especially at the rural areas.” The fact that Morocco is investing in the solar energy, will help it to be able to distribute energy to the population living outside the urban areas.

In 2016, the poverty rate in Morocco decreased to 23%, compared to 45% in 2014, with the increase in dependence on solar energy, making household electrification easier and less expensive. Also, solar energy farms that have been accomplished throughout the whole country have created job opportunities.

Solar energy has helped the kingdom to be less dependent on energy imports and could export more of energy which supports the national economy and relations with other countries.

The report stressed that “the strength of the Moroccan economy has improved remarkably, the country is looking forward to establishing relations with European countries. In 2016, Morocco has launched the construction of the Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline project. This project would perfectly position Morocco as an energy hub in the Mediterranean region and between the continents of Africa and Europe.”

The same source considered that these economic ties with other countries allow Morocco to reach flourishing markets and create new business opportunities. Consequently, Morocco has become a political force on its continent Africa which is currently experiencing a leadership vacuum that Morocco is expected to fulfill. Given that it produces more energy and has established strong ties with European countries, Morocco is seen as a country committed to its economic and political relations.

The Kingdom of Morocco is considered a model for other countries in being self sufficient in Africa and has gained economic credibility with other countries.

Morocco has invested 85% of its funds in other African countries, in an effort to confirm its leadership role in this continent as well as improve the economies of some less developed African countries.

The organization further stated that His Majesty king of Morocco “King Mohammed VI has confidence in the capabilities of the continent and hopes to lead Africa to success. He also made Morocco the second largest investor in the African continent”.

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