They are no longer a luxury but a necessity
Present the essential mechanisms and tools to support companies and exporters in the transition to the decarbonization of their industrial activities. This is the main objective of a conference-debate organized on Friday, June 3, in Tangier, under the theme “Renewable energies at the service of the decarbonization of export industries”. As companies and exporters, “we must participate in this national effort to fight once morest climate change in order to safeguard our market shares,” said Hassan Sentissi El Idrissi, president of the Moroccan Association of Exporters (ASMEX).
The speaker expressed the need to recognize that in a new era, where the economy and the environment must go hand in hand, a clean economy offers excellent opportunities for business development. “In Europe and the United States, the most advanced regions in terms of environmental protection, many industrial sectors are finding ways to carry out their activities in a cleaner way, with less greenhouse gas emissions. “, said Mr. Sentissi, before adding that “new industries are emerging to meet public demand for cleaner goods and services”.
Initiated by ASMEX, this meeting took place in partnership with Engie, Adiwatt and the CRI of Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, in a particular post-pandemic context and with soaring energy prices. “The use of renewable energy is no longer a luxury but a necessity for our industrialists, in particular exporters,” said Jalal Benhayoun, general manager of CRI-TTA.
A great effort is being made, according to the speaker, by all government actors to support exporters in their strategy of green growth and decarbonization, strengthening their international competitiveness and improving their environmental reputation at notably through the creation of a certification and labeling process for companies. With its wind and solar potential, the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region is establishing itself as “a leader and a national reference in terms of renewable energies thanks to its five wind farm projects already operational with an overall power of 360 MW. , i.e. 13% of the power installed in Morocco with an overall investment exceeding 8 billion dirhams, but also the new park under construction, in particular the photovoltaic park of Tangier which will be installed on an area of approximately 72 ha with a power of 30 MW and whose panels are manufactured in Al Hoceima by an American group”, explained Mr. Benhayoun.
In this sense, wind turbines are also manufactured, he reported, in Tangier Automotive City (TAC) by the company Siemens Gamesa. Mr. Benhayoun continued that as a whole, these various investments also find their justifications in the increased energy needs, generated by economic growth and the construction of sizeable infrastructures in the region, currently considered as the second industrial pole of the Kingdom with a contribution to the national industrial GDP of 16.6%. “Thus, the implementation of the carbon tax by the European Union will first penalize regional industry, since it is mainly export-oriented, representing more than 80% of regional turnover”, he noted. .
Several companies in the North have already taken, insisted Mr. Benhayoun, the path for the decarbonization of their manufacturing process, citing as a model the Renault factory which since its entry into activity is ranked world reference in terms of environmental excellence with zero carbon emissions. “Also, several green projects have been launched at the regional level”, he said, noting that the Chrafat green city and the Cité Mohammed VI Tanger Tech which will be “supplied mainly by renewable energy, are true examples of the Kingdom’s new strategy enacted by the far-sighted vision of HM King Mohammed VI, who has become an international model in terms of energy and ecological transition following COP22”.