Energy & Utilities
From The Report: Morocco 2020
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The energy sector is poised for promising medium-term growth as it continues to receive significant public and private investment to expand generation capacity and distribution networks. At the same time, efforts to increase the role of renewable resources and natural gas in the country’s energy mix are set to lower the energy import bill and reduce fossil fuel emissions. However, in order to ensure that private investment objectives are met, upgrades to the sector’s regulatory framework will need to be completed. Meanwhile, Morocco has already shown that it can be a reliable partner in the exploration and development of hydrocarbons resources, and the policies it is currently pursuing should help the country reduce its reliance on imports in the years ahead. This chapter contains an interview with Abderrahim El Hafidi, General Director, National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water; and Saïd Mouline, CEO, Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Power revamp: The country is increasingly turning to renewable resources and natural gas to diversify its energy mix
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Morocco has long depended on international markets to fulfil its energy generation needs. Unlike nearby countries such as Algeria and Libya, Morocco has not had the advantage of large-scale hydrocarbons reserves to fuel its economic development. Although this has left the country vulnerable to fluctuating global oil prices, it has also led policymakers to make strategic decisions regarding future generation capacity. As such, Morocco has embarked on a major rollout of renewable energy sources,…

Interview

Setting new targets: Abderrahim El Hafidi, General Director, National Office for Electricity and Drinking Water (Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau Potable, ONEE), on developing utilities capacity
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Interview:Abderrahim El Hafidi How would you assess Morocco’s efforts to manage its energy bill, and will it be reduced in the future? ABDERRAHIM EL HAFIDI: Morocco is focusing on rationalising expenditure, while providing high-quality service and optimising investments. The electricity mix has undergone profound transformations. In the 2000s we relied mainly on fossil fuels, while today we have diversified our offer by promoting the development of local, clean energies, such as solar,…

Analysis

Upstream drive: The search for hydrocarbons continues as Morocco seeks to reduce its reliance on energy imports
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As Morocco continues to rely on imports of coal, gas and oil to satisfy its energy requirements, the need to reduce its dependence on imports has long been a priority. To this end, the country has sought to develop its renewable energy capacity, alongside new hydrocarbons exploration projects. A combination of favourable regulatory conditions and successful investment promotion has helped attract international interest in recent years, expanding the country’s potential resource base. Commercially…

Interview

Sustainable incentives: Saïd Mouline, CEO, Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (Agence Marocaine pour l’Efficacité Energétique, AMEE), on incentivising companies to increase their energy efficiency
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Interview:Saïd Mouline How is Morocco promoting energy efficiency? SAÏD MOULINE: For over 10 years Morocco has been transitioning to sustainable energy, creating new energy markets around high-power, renewable energy programmes. These efforts have been led by the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy, while energy efficiency and smaller-scale renewable energy projects in the construction, transport, industry and agriculture sectors have been managed by AMEE. These projects play an important…

Overview

Leapfrog or lock in: To meet increasing demand for power and expand access in underserved regions, governments must choose whether to invest in traditional or new sources of energy
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The duel aims of rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing greater access to energy for underserved regions of the world are proving to be a complex challenge in need of innovative solutions and major investment. Repeated warnings from scientists regarding the economic and environmental consequences of unabated carbon emissions have seen the topic of climate change increasingly appear on the agendas of companies and governments worldwide. In 2018 the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a special report titled “Global Warming of 1.5°C”, which stated that global CO emissions must be cut in half by…