Context
Morocco offers enormous potential for developing renewable energies, particularly solar and wind energy. The country’s proximity to Europe and connection to its power grids mean that Morocco could contribute to Europe’s power supply in future. The Moroccan Government promotes the renewable energies sector and also has an interest in the long-term export of renewable energies to Europe as well as improved integration of the European and North African electricity markets.
Objective
Morocco has created effective and efficient framework conditions on the energy market and aligned its national energy policy with the objective of a sustainable energy supply.
Approach
The German-Moroccan Energy Partnership aims to help Morocco develop and implement its national energy policy to promote a sustainable energy supply. Supporting Morocco in establishing effective and efficient energy market framework conditions is in focus. Another aspect involves advising Morocco on deregulating and opening up its low and medium-voltage networks for feeding in electricity from photovoltaic power plants. A key feature of the energy partnership is the involvement of representatives from the private sector. The partnership is also open to representatives from science and civil society, who play an active role in Morocco's energy sector.
The partnership will include a high-ranking steering committee at state secretary level. The content of the partnership will be handled in thematic work groups for ‘Development cooperation and low emission strategies promoted by energy projects’ and ‘Cooperation on energy policy/supporting investment and research projects’. A permanent secretariat will be created in the Moroccan Ministry of Energy, Mining, Water and the Environment in Rabat to support the partnership on organisation and content. Currently, the key topics are energy strategies (with a focus on renewable energies), private sector projects closely related to the market, research partnerships, low emission strategies and development cooperation.
Results
Regular meetings of the working groups have provided a platform for exchange between experts from the fields of technology and research. The permanent secretariat has provided for effective workshops, study trips and meetings of the working groups in Morocco and Germany with participants from ministries, institutions and the private sector.