Electrification of rural areas: a plausible energy transition?

In its energy policy, which aims to generalize access to electricity in rural areas, the government has announced that it wants to favor the use of renewable energies. A bold initiative that still raises some questions. Does Morocco have the potential required to achieve this energy transition? And what regarding climate change? Badr Ikken delivers his expert opinion!

The actions initiated in terms of energy transition are, a priori, a good omen, but you still need to have the stuff to achieve it. To the question relating to Morocco’s potential in the field, Badr Ikken, former director of the Institute for Research in Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN) answers the Inspirations ECO: “Our country has considerable energy potential, in particular solar and wind. The technical potential for solar exceeds 49,000 TWh and for wind 11,500 TWh”. He adds that the “reservoir” available to Morocco is not only sufficient to meet its energy needs but might be enhanced through the export of electricity or green hydrogen produced from clean electricity. What, according to him, “contribute to the decarbonization of European countries and co-finance our energy transition”. Another asset mentioned by Ikken, “dedicated training and research centers, firms and companies specializing in the development, engineering and implementation of renewable projects with a critical mass of experts and engineers” , enjoyed by the country. Without forgetting, “a mobilized banking sector”. For him, “the national ecosystem only lacks a consolidation of the industrial sector in order to take full advantage of this dynamic and ensure our energy dependence with “made in Morocco” equipment”. On another aspect, Badr Ikken argues that renewable energies are competitive with other energies: “even excluding the economic situation and the surge in fossil fuels, renewable energies are less expensive today. The price of solar photovoltaic has gone from 3 DH per kilowatt (kWh) 15 years ago to less than 30 cents today. Wind power, on the other hand, also reaches similar costs. Their use is no longer determined solely by climatic considerations but also by a real economic opportunity”.

On climate change, Badr Ikken has his own idea. He thinks that “renewable energies are equal and complementary”. The carbon footprint, generated by the manufacture and operation of wind power, is 16 g/kWh, and for solar photovoltaic, 25 g/kWh. Which seems “derisory” for him, compared to natural gas (443 g / kWh), oil (840 g / kWh) or coal (more than 1,000 g / kWh).

In short, the former CEO of IRESEN notes that their use depends on local climatic conditions and applications. Photovoltaic solar works only during the day but it is very practical because it allows the development of large capacity projects. It also adapts perfectly to decentralized installations (residential, solar pumping, etc.). Wind power, on the other hand, allows clean energy production, even at night or during periods of bad weather. “’Low-temperature solar thermal allows the heating of domestic water or industrial processes through concentrated solar thermal (CSP).

The latter, installed in Ouarzazate, allows low-cost thermal storage, and should rather evolve in industrial processes such as drying, steam or cold production because the energy can be exploited directly without having to transform it into electricity. through turbines. The potential of hydraulics and biomass remains more limited in Morocco”, he continues.

As for the constraints that might remain, the executive chairman of Gi3 is rather worried: “In my humble opinion, the only constraints relate to the regulatory framework as well as the slowness of the adoption of legal texts and their implementation. . It took several years to operationalize the medium voltage law. The energy crisis requires accelerating processes in order to exploit our renewable potential as quickly as possible and reduce dependence.

“The state must prepare a conducive environment”
Badr Ikken recalls that the National Electricity and Drinking Water Office (ONEE) launched the rural electrification program and was able to electrify more than 1,750 villages comprising 42,838 households by interconnected network with more than 3,500 schools, 130 dispensaries and 1,385 mosques. Demand has increased today, prices have fallen and technologies have evolved significantly. They now make it possible to store energy and interconnect installations in the context of micro-grids and smart grids. “The State must prepare the environment conducive to the development of projects and encourage the Moroccan private sector to develop them. It is now capable of providing financing, operation, maintenance and covering all the links in the value chain. With the right model, we will be able to encourage the creation of businesses and jobs distributed throughout the national territory”.

Kenza Aziouzi / ECO Inspirations