The dialogue between Morocco and the European Union (EU) continues online as in-person meetings are put on hold across the world to comply with social distancing measures amid the coronavirus crisis.
Morocco’s Energy Minister Aziz Rebbah has conducted a video conference with the European Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson to discuss ways to consolidate and develop EU-Morocco collaboration in the field of renewable energy.
Both Rebbah and Simson are very satisfied with the ongoing energy collaboration and are keen to further strengthen and develop bilateral relations in the sector, said a press release from the Moroccan Ministry of Energy.
The video conference dialogue honed in on private sector contributions to creating a road map and action plan for Morocco’s national energy strategy, with support and cooperation from the EU.
Rebbah and Simson also explored ways of diversifying and expanding the collaboration between the two parties, as a continuation of the discussions that took place at the ministerial conference of the International Energy Agency in December 2019.
Morocco is a leading light in the international shift towards renewable energy solutions.
A study by the King Abdullah Center for Petroleum Studies and Research, published in February, showed Morocco has made outstanding progress in the sector, compared to other countries in the MENA region.
“Morocco’s National Energy Strategy (NES) was one of the most ambitious and comprehensive renewable energy strategies in the MENA region,” the study said.
The report recalled Morocco’s aspirations to achieve 42% of total installed power generating capacity from solar, wind, and hydropower resources by 2020, with 2 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity for each resource, or 6 GW overall.
Morocco’ has increased its renewable energy target to 52% by 2030.
Morocco’s Exchange Office shows that Morocco’s electricity imports decreased by 93.5% in 2019, owing to the country’s determination to become a self-sufficient electricity producer.
In the same year, Morocco only imported electricity worth MAD 149 million (approximately €14 million) compared to MAD 2.3 billion (approximately €217 million) in the previous year.
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