Morocco aims to become renewable energy export powerhouse, says Benali

Moroccan Minister of Energy Leila Benali says her department is working to make the Kingdom “a destination for renewable energy,” through the country’s ample geographic and climactic resources.

In an interview with Forbes, the Minister stated that “Morocco could export more of its power from renewables to Spain, Portugal, and even the United Kingdom.“

Morocco has invested $5.2 billion in solar projects so far, according to the official, who voiced her pride in both large-scale and local projects the country is undertaking.

The Minister added that she wants “every school, mosque, and home to have electricity,” stating that using microgrids could be a solution to meet energy demands for Morocco, and supply its foreign partners with clean energy.

Benali said the Moroccan administration is committed to bringing electricity to 100% of the population, from 99.4% today, while staying committed to sustainability.

As of today, there are two Moroccan electricity interconnections with Europe with a capacity of 1,400 MW and power flows both ways, while a third is planned.

There is an additional 4,516 MW of planned renewable energy available to the country, fueling additional projects and plants.

According to Benali’s office cited by Forbes, 52 renewable projects are in operation, and 59 are under construction or planned.

One of the most notable project well underway is the Xlinks submarine electricity cables, which will link Morocco and the United Kingdom.

Already interconnected to Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, the Xlinks project is expected to generate approximately 10.5 GW, with a combination of solar and wind power plants coupled with energy storage, connected exclusively to the UK via 3800 km long submarine cables (HVDC) with a combined capacity of 3.6 GW at the receiving end.

Morocco will start providing the United Kingdom with 8% of its total electrical needs from low-cost renewable energy sources.

“We are ecumenical about renewable technology,” Benali told Forbes, a statement backed by Morocco’s successful solar energy powerhouse status.

Once completed, Morocco’s Noor Ouarzazate complex will be one of the largest solar power generating facilities in the world, covering more than 6,000 acres of desert.

Currently, the complex consists of three separate, co-located power stations, known as Noor I (160 MW), Noor II (200 MW), and Noor III (150 MW).

A fourth station, Noor IV (72 MW), is planned. Other big solar stations can be expected elsewhere.