Despite “limited resources,” Morocco is developing significant “tools and expertise” in the renewable energy sector, leading it to play an oversized role in combatting climate change, according to a recent report issued by the International Energy Agency.
Entitled “Clean Energy Innovation Policies in Emerging and Developing Economies,” the report highlights the importance of emerging developing economies in addressing climate change through innovations that support a transition to clean energy.
Morocco’s tools and expertise are positioning the kingdom well “for exploring potential technologies and identifying gaps to be targeted by policy,” the report stated.
Morocco’s global technology leadership, along with other emerging economies such as Brazil, Mexico, and India, mean that it is taking a leading role on the world stage.
Particularly with respect to the fertilizer industry, Morocco has the world’s largest phosphate reserve estimated at 50 billion metric tons. Phosphate rock is processed to produce phosphorous, which is one of the three main nutrients most commonly used in fertilizers (the other two being nitrogen and potassium).
Operated by the state-owned Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP Group), Morocco’s phosphate industry is the world’s largest exporter of phosphates, and OCP oversees all aspects of the phosphate production chain, from mining to processing and marketing.
Morocco has committed to developing new energy technologies and connecting to its climate and energy goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 18.3 percent by 2030 and increasing the share of renewable energy production from 20 percent to 52 in 2030.
To achieve these goals, Morocco has already taken leaps forward in innovating the production of lithium-ion batteries, which are integrated into electric vehicles for the EU market, the report noted.
In recent years, the kingdom has made significant progress toward the production of renewable energy and is gearing itself up to be an important exporter of clean energy worldwide.
“Morocco strategically invested in renewable energy knowhow for the evaluation and procurement of technologies that were new to the country, including concentrating solar power (CSP), solar PV, and hydrogen,” the report said.
In 2019, Morocco established a National Hydrogen Commission, chaired by the Minister of Energy and including representatives from key government ministries and organizations such as the Research Institute for Solar and New Energy (IRESEN), the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), and the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN).
The commission underscored Morocco’s goal of increasing the production of clean energy.
However, Morocco’s energy system is still dominated by coal and oil. This makes the country vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil and gas prices.
Thanks to its newly established, strong foundation in clean energy technologies, Morocco is well on the way to reducing its CO2 emissions and increasing its clean energy production.
Highlighting this shift is the OCP Group’s pivot to hydrogen from renewable electricity and the potential synergies between Moroccan automakers and a new battery supply chain.
Morocco “at the forefront of clean energy innovation among emerging economies,” the International Energy Agency’s report highlighted.
“With significant investments in renewable technologies and a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Kingdom is not only enhancing its energy independence but also positioning itself as a vital player in the global clean energy market.”