How Can Morocco Achieve 52 Percent of its Electricity from Renewable Energy in 2030?
According to the latest conclusions of the 46th World Economic Forum (2016), climate changes and reducing its effects, for the first time, are top-ranked in terms of the major risks facing the worldwide economy. Morocco is not spared. Today, about 80 percent of water resources in Morocco are used to irrigate agriculture, which is a key link in the country's food security. The actions to limit global warming concern also the energy sector, which contributes in Morocco to two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions. It has available an important solar and wind potential, which will allow Morocco to achieve 52 percent of its electrical power from renewable energy in 2030.
The exploitable hydropower potential is estimated at 5,000 GW, but only a quarter is currently exploited with 20 dams equipped with hydroelectric plants. The most important operational dam has a capacity of 240 MW. Approximately 200 sites have been identified to accommodate micro hydraulic electrical plant with power capacity between 15 kW and 100 kW. This type of energy meets perfectly the criteria for decentralized electrification especially in mountainous zones with waterfalls.
The national annual averages of daily global irradiation vary from 2.38 to 6.89kWh/m2/day, which represents a range of 2,154 hours of sunshine per year for the less-favored regions and more than 3,504 hours per year for the best exposed ones.
[Full article here | Photo by Daniel Parks]
