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Rabat — Morocco is looking forward to speeding up the process of increasing the renewable energy share to 52%.
The North African country is in negotiations with several Emirati companies to launch wind energy projects in its southern provinces in Western Sahara, according to Attaqa, a specialized energy platform based in Washington.
As part of its ambitious plan to increase renewable energy’s share to 52% by 2030, Rabat is reportedly negotiating the wind energy projects with Emirati companies, including Masdar, AMEA Power, and Taqa.
Attaqa has indicated that the expected investments for wind energy projects in Morocco’s southern provinces in Western Sahara, currently under negotiation, range between $8 billion and $10 billion, with a production capacity reaching 5,000 megawatts.
Morocco’s southern provinces boast unique potential that makes them ideal for hosting wind energy projects, with wind speeds reaching 8.4 meters per second, providing perfect conditions for installing wind turbines.
Wind energy in Morocco’s Sahara region
Wind energy projects in southern provinces in the Western Sahara region in southern Morocco have attracted massive investments since 2015, the platform said, adding that this reflects the country’s interest in expanding clean electricity projects to reduce fuel import costs needed to operate thermal power plants.
Renewable energy projects in the southern provinces form an essential part of Morocco’s clean energy supply and represent the key element for meeting the country’s commitment to reach 52% of the electricity mix by 2030.
Wind farm project sites insouthern provinces in Western Sahara also benefit from their distance from the main populated areas, which means they don’t face problems related to population displacement.
According to the specialized energy platform database, Morocco’s southern provinces in Western Sahara currently hosts four operational wind stations that support the country’s electricity grid with approximately 750 megawatts per hour.
Four wind farms currently operate in the southern provinces with a total capacity of 750 megawatts, namely in Tarfaya (300 megawatts), Aftissat (200 megawatts), Laayoune (50 megawatts), and Akhfenir (200 megawatts).
Attaqa added that work continues developing two additional wind stations in Morocco’s southern provinces in Western Sahara, aimed at adding 400 megawatts to the country’s electricity grid in the coming months, specifically in Boujdour (300 megawatts) and Tiskrad (100 megawatts).
Renewable energy projects in Morocco
According to the report, Emirati companies seek to secure a share of renewable energy projects in Morocco, particularly wind energy, which has recorded significant growth in recent years.
In February this year, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition Leila Benali said the country’s wind energy capacity reached 2,373 megawatts by the end of 2024.
Meanwhile, wind energy’s share of Morocco’s electricity mix jumped to 21.23% in 2024, compared to 15.4% in 2023, according to the latest available data from Attaqa.
On May 20, a Moroccan-Emirati consortium announced signing investment agreements with the Moroccan government worth approximately $14 billion to implement several projects, particularly infrastructure for producing and transmitting electricity from renewable sources and seawater desalination.
The projects involving Morocco’s Taqa company, a joint venture with the UAE’s Taqa, include constructing a 1,400-kilometer transmission line to carry electricity from wind generation stations in the southern provinces to Casablanca, aiming to produce 1,200 megawatts at these stations.
During June, Moroccan group Yina and Emirati AMEA Power announced signing a strategic partnership contract to develop a 100-megawatt wind farm in Laayoune city.
Construction work is expected to begin in late 2025, with the wind station officially starting operations by 2027. The facility will contribute to reducing more than 330,000 tons of carbon annually.
