How Morocco went big on solar energy

Morocco has become famous for its vast, world-leading solar arrays. But these mega-projects are just the start of the action on climate change that Morocco could be capable of delivering.

Morocco has made a name for itself as a climate leader. Renewables make up almost two-fifths of its electricity capacity, some fossil fuel subsidies have been phased out and the country lays claim to some of the world’s largest clean energy projects. The country has received much praise for its actions to decarbonise.

The country’s reputation may be well deserved, but it still faces real challenges – its geographical position in a warming hotspot makes it vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. And even as it seeks to end its dependence on fossil fuels, its energy demands are rising fast.

Despite these challenges, Morocco has a huge natural potential to produce solar, wind and hydropower, and has taken significant steps to realise it. Morocco’s national action on climate change dates back to the mid-2000s, when the country made the decision to become a regional leader in clean energy and to push forward massive renewables projects. The country’s leaders bet on these major transformations as a way to be economically competitive in the future, as well as to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports and ensure security of energy supply, says Mohamed Alaoui, the managing director of Africa Climate Solutions, a consultancy firm based in Casablanca.

In June 2021, Morocco updated its UN climate pledge with a promise to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 17-18% by 2030 compared with a business-as-usual scenario, with a stretch target of a 42-46% cut on the condition of receiving international support. It has also made a significant effort to decrease government support for fossil fuels, taking advantage of low oil prices in 2014-15 to successfully phase out petrol and fuel oil subsidies.

To reduce emissions, “quick and radical” transformation of industries, urban planning and infrastructure must be put in place immediately, says Fatima Driouech, associate professor of meteorology at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University and a vice chair at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“We must start reducing greenhouse emissions today if we are to limit warming to 1.5C and therefore the impacts of climate change,” Driouech says. She notes that many of the impacts of climate change in countries like Morocco can still be avoided if we act in time. “We could hope for the eradication of poverty and the reduction of inequalities if global warming were limited to 1.5C rather than 2C or more.”

In addition to relying less on coal to reduce carbon emissions, there is an argument that decision-makers in Morocco should focus more on small-scale projects and not just mega-projects, allowing entrepreneurs to answer the specific needs of different regions. “If we compare ourselves to Tunisia or Egypt, we are very advanced in macro-projects but when we talk about energy for individuals and for industries, the regulation is lacking,” says Alaoui of Africa Climate Solutions. “We have a climate law but we don’t have decrees that would allow people and industries to [easily] implement renewable energy.”

Others say that Morocco’s large clean energy initiatives such as the Noor concentrated solar project have mostly benefited countries outside of Morocco, and not local people. Morocco is positioning itself as a clean energy hub with potential to export renewable power to Europe, and already has two electricity cables connecting it to Spain and plans for subsea connection to the UK. But mega-projects such as the Noor plant require extracting large quantities of water in a water-scarce region, says Mohammed Tazrouti, a campaigner for Greenpeace in the Middle East and North Africa. “When you’re exporting energy, you are exporting water,” Tazrouti says. “You’re excluding other communities from these resources.”

Greenpeace’s Tazrouti says that the Global North needs to invest more in the countries of the Global South, including Morocco. “A lot of support is needed in southern countries and underdeveloped and poor countries that are suffering and are at the frontline of being affected by climate change,” he says. Morocco was the eighth largest recipient of climate finance from richer countries in 2018 and 2019, receiving some $600m (£450m).

Countries that pollute the most are having a disastrous impact on the African continent, says Abdeladim El Hafi, who was Morocco’s general commissioner during the United Nations climate conference held in Marrakesh in 2016 (COP22), and is now the high commissioner for water and forests. Many African countries do not themselves produce nearly as much carbon, but are already suffering the consequences of climate change.

“Plans and international financial help are needed to help vulnerable countries, islands, and poor countries,” says Alaoui, citing water as a top environmental concern for the country. “In Morocco, we need policies to manage, recycle and reuse water. We need climate insurance for droughts and frequent fires, and we need sustainable and smart agriculture.”

Morocco’s water shortage is hitting hard as water harvesting remains a major issue in this agriculture-intensive country, giving way to discontent and despair. In recent years, in places like the town of Zagora in southern Morocco, residents have been protesting about water shortages.

Broadly, there is a need for environmental reforms and actions that also take into account the country’s rich biodiversity, says El Hafi. Initiatives also need to account for local contexts and needs, he says, adding that decades-long efforts have paved the way for a more solid plan.

“Policies around water [scarcity] in Morocco since the 1960s have been quite visionary,” he says. For example, the decision to build a host of large dams allowed Morocco to go through periods of droughts without food shortages, he says.

Tangier-based environmentalist Hajar Khamlichi also believes adapting to climate change and solving the water issue is possible. Some Moroccan programmes are encouraging steps in the right direction, she says, including the use of sewage treatment plants to treat water for irrigation, the building of new dams and the desalination of seawater powered by renewable energy. “There are still policies in place and a vision,” she says.

Khamlichi, the president and co-founder of the Mediterranean Youth Climate Network, which brings together different organisations of young people from Mediterranean countries, believes that mounting climate challenges in Morocco must be met head-on. “There is a lot of work to do and the challenges are great,” she says. “As time goes, we notice more problems, but we are also coming up with solutions.”

Rachid Ennassiri, a Moroccan environmentalist, founded the Moroccan Youth Center for Sustainable Energy in 2018. This national organisation counts among its members people from the region of Ouarzazate in the south, where many of the mega-projects, including the Noor plant, are located. Over the years, Ennassiri has worked on several climate change initiatives, including a project that aimed to make mosques more sustainable by using solar panels.

Morocco cannot simply continue to follow its initial plan for expanding renewables, Ennassiri says. “2021 is not 2009,” he says, referring to the date of Morocco’s first plan to cut carbon emissions and curb the reliance on fossil fuels. “In order to increase renewables, major reforms must be made.”

Data research and visualisation by Kajsa Rosenblad

Animation by Pomona Pictures

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