Morocco is considered the biggest energy importer in North Africa, spending over 3 Billion Dollars on importing fuel and electricity and facing a growing demand on energy rating 6.5% per year.
The country is looking for an alternative to imported fossil fuel and this alternative is renewable energy. In 2012, the Moroccan government achieved its goal on providing 8% of total primary energy from renewable energy, including generating, transforming, and distributing energy. Morocco is planning to invest 13 Billion USD on expanding wind energy projects to be capable of generating solar and hydroelectric energy. This step will increase the renewable energy resources share to 42% by 2020, and each type of energy, whether solar, win or hydro, will provide 14% in that share.
Morocco’s Solar Energy:
Morocco is investing 9 Billion USD on one of the internationally biggest and ambitious plans in solar energy sector. The plan aims at generating 2 GW of solar energy by 2020 through building solar energy projects in five sites: Al Eyoon (The Desert), Bu Judoor (Western Desert), Terfiah (Souther Aghadeer), Ain Bani Muttahar (The Middle), and Razazat. The projects will contain different solar technologies, such as: heaters and solar cells.
Morocco’s Wind Energy:
The first wind power plant in Morocco has been installed in 2000 with a capacity of 50.4 MW. The annual production of this plan has reached about 200 GW per hour, representing 1% of the national electrical annual consumption. Other projects, such as Amdogdoul and Allak, has been installed through the years.
Morroco’s plan regarding wind energy is to provide 2 MW of wind energy by 2020. It is currently investing about 350 Million USD on building the biggest wind power plant in Africa in Tarafaya with a generating capacity of 300 MW.
