Morocco: A Strategy to Save 12% of Energy by 2020
28 November 2013
Read by 1535 persons
Moroccan Energy Minister Abdelkader Amara stressed Wednesday that his country aims to save 12% of its energy consumption by 2020, believing that this "efficiency strategy" should also create over 36,000 jobs.
Currently lacking significant hydrocarbon reserves, the kingdom must import massively to meet domestic demand and has set a goal of covering 42% of its needs through renewable energies by 2020.
But, beyond this ambition alone, Morocco, which expects a "quadrupling of its electricity demand" by 2030, will promote an "energy efficiency" strategy, which should allow it "to save 12% of (its) energy consumption in 2020 and 15% in 2030", said Mr. Amara at the opening of a conference-debate in Casablanca, the economic capital.
"It is essential to focus on controlling demand and consuming better. (...) A strategy is being prepared and some key sectors, large energy consumers, are directly concerned: transport, industry and construction," he specified.
Based on a recent public study, he also noted that this strategy should create "36,800 jobs", "engineers, technicians and skilled workers".
In addition, there are the "13,300 jobs" which, according to estimates, should be created in renewable energies, he added.
To increase the share of this sector in its energy mix, Morocco is particularly counting on mega-projects such as the Ouarzazate solar park (south) and the Tarfaya wind farm (southwest), the largest in Africa, which will allow a production of 4,000 megawatts in 2020.
Praising a potential estimated at "25,000 MW" for wind energy alone, Abdelkader Amara noted, however, that his country was "aware of its current vulnerability" and would conduct a "gradual" transition.
In addition to the short-term continuation of coal exploitation and the development of natural gas, Mr. Amara mentioned "applied research for the development of immense oil shale deposits".
He also reaffirmed the kingdom's ambitions in oil exploration and extraction: a total of "31 international oil companies are currently operating" in Morocco, offshore and onshore, through "134 exploration permits", he noted, while pointing out that Moroccan sedimentary basins remained "largely under-explored".
Finally, the minister advocated for the "emergence of an electricity market" between the two shores of the Mediterranean", presenting Morocco as a "crossroads".
He notably alluded to Desertec, a project that set itself the goal of creating, within 40 years, a vast network of solar and wind installations in North Africa and the Middle East. Launched in 2009, it suffered from the economic crisis and the upheavals linked to the Arab Spring.
AFP
Starafrica.com
Published on November 28, 2013.
Posted online on November 28, 2013.
Currently lacking significant hydrocarbon reserves, the kingdom must import massively to meet domestic demand and has set a goal of covering 42% of its needs through renewable energies by 2020.
But, beyond this ambition alone, Morocco, which expects a "quadrupling of its electricity demand" by 2030, will promote an "energy efficiency" strategy, which should allow it "to save 12% of (its) energy consumption in 2020 and 15% in 2030", said Mr. Amara at the opening of a conference-debate in Casablanca, the economic capital.
"It is essential to focus on controlling demand and consuming better. (...) A strategy is being prepared and some key sectors, large energy consumers, are directly concerned: transport, industry and construction," he specified.
Based on a recent public study, he also noted that this strategy should create "36,800 jobs", "engineers, technicians and skilled workers".
In addition, there are the "13,300 jobs" which, according to estimates, should be created in renewable energies, he added.
To increase the share of this sector in its energy mix, Morocco is particularly counting on mega-projects such as the Ouarzazate solar park (south) and the Tarfaya wind farm (southwest), the largest in Africa, which will allow a production of 4,000 megawatts in 2020.
Praising a potential estimated at "25,000 MW" for wind energy alone, Abdelkader Amara noted, however, that his country was "aware of its current vulnerability" and would conduct a "gradual" transition.
In addition to the short-term continuation of coal exploitation and the development of natural gas, Mr. Amara mentioned "applied research for the development of immense oil shale deposits".
He also reaffirmed the kingdom's ambitions in oil exploration and extraction: a total of "31 international oil companies are currently operating" in Morocco, offshore and onshore, through "134 exploration permits", he noted, while pointing out that Moroccan sedimentary basins remained "largely under-explored".
Finally, the minister advocated for the "emergence of an electricity market" between the two shores of the Mediterranean", presenting Morocco as a "crossroads".
He notably alluded to Desertec, a project that set itself the goal of creating, within 40 years, a vast network of solar and wind installations in North Africa and the Middle East. Launched in 2009, it suffered from the economic crisis and the upheavals linked to the Arab Spring.
AFP
Starafrica.com
Published on November 28, 2013.
Posted online on November 28, 2013.
