Morocco is going green and the rest of the world should take note
As 2015, the warmest year on record, draws to an end, and the commentators are debating the outcome of this month's climate change summit in Paris COP21, Morocco is already readying to launch a very ambitious clean energy project, aptly named "Noor" (meaning light in Arabic).
With a potential capacity of 580 megawatts (MW), the $9bn Noor project is expected to cover an area equivalent to a city the size of the capital Rabat and provide electricity to 1 million homes. It is the fruit of the North African kingdom’s efforts in recent years to reduce its dependence on imported energy, which has been a chronic burden on state coffers.
The first phase of the project, Noor 1, is scheduled to start operating by the end of this year. Noor 2 and Noor 3 will follow suit in 2016 and 2017, while Noor 4 - which will use photovoltaic technology which converts solar energy into electricity - is open to tenders.
Completion of the $660mn Noor 1 plant means that it will be operating only a few weeks after the conclusion of COP21, underlining Morocco's commitment to meet emission targets that it announced at the conference. It also helps to set the stage for next year's COP22, which Morocco will host, and herald its efforts to become a leader in the transition to renewable energy and away from dependence on energy imports.
The government aims to achieve an additional capacity of 6,760 MW between 2015 and 2025, of which 3,120 MW is to be solar energy, 2,740 MW wind and 900 MW hydroelectric.
Clean environment amid rising energy demand
The North African country is the biggest importer of energy in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region. With a growing energy consumption of around six percent annually over the past 10 years, Morocco has had to find alternative solutions to meet its population’s rising energy demand while keeping its environment clean.
In December 2014, Morocco inaugurated Africa’s largest wind farm with a capacity of 300 MW. The wind farm represents about 40 percent of the country’s total wind capacity in commercial operation to date.
Overall the country has wind energy production of over 800 MW already in operation, 550 MW under development and 850 MW under contract, while an additional 1,000 MW capacity is planned between 2021 and 2025.
Reduce greenhouse emissions
Morocco's fuel-subsidy budget increased dramatically over the past decade, and with oil budget costs declining as the country ramps up alternative energy sources, the Islamist-led government has now taken the courageous decision to abolish diesel subsidies on 1 January, ending a chronically expensive and unsustainable burden on the country’s economy.
The government can now focus on achieving the country’s objective of boosting its clean energy output.
Morocco pledged at COP21 to reduce its greenhouse emissions by at least 13 percent by 2030. Although this sounds relatively modest, its clean energy vision is ambitious - it seeks to meet 52 percent of its total power needs by 2030, an equivalent of 6,000 MW. To meet this target, an investment of $35bn has to be poured into the electricity and clean energy sectors, providing a big business opportunity for foreign companies.
Noor 1 is expected to allow the country to cut CO2 emissions by 240,000 tonnes per year, and once Noor 2 and Noor 3 are up and running, emission cuts should reach 522,000 tonnes, or 1 percent of its CO2 emissions of 56.5 million tonnes in 2011, according to the energy ministry.
Renewable energy in Morocco is also contributing to the development of job creation and industrialisation, further helping economic growth. Noor 1 alone has created around 1,000 jobs and will certainly bolster local businesses in the southern region of Ouarzazate, where the project is based.
The Moroccan government last month took another powerful step towards cleaning up the environment - albeit far removed from solar-power generation - after parliament approved a draft bill last month to ban the manufacture, importation, marketing and use of plastic bags from 1 July, 2016, although still authorising certain types of bags such as trash, cooler, freezer bags and those for agricultural use. The move could not have come too soon, since Morocco is the world’s second-largest plastic bag consumer, with 26 billion plastic bags being consumed each year.
The move can be seen as working in tandem with the goal of boosting eco-tourism in the country.
While environmental organisations expressed their delight at the decision, the move did have its critics as workers in the plastic industry saw it as a threat to their existence in the market, with an estimated loss of 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The government has yet to indicate any specific alternative to plastic bags. Biodegradable paper bags could be an alternative but would require uprooting of trees and a lot of energy for their production. The government needs to meticulously set out a durable and eco-friendly alternative to plastic bags. Morocco has in the past prohibited the use of black plastic bags, which were a grave health and environmental hazard.
It is clear that finding ideal answers will not be easy or without challenges. But there are stories of success with regards to solar and wind energy in Germany, for example, and in the MENA region perhaps Morocco should be viewed as one of the shining examples to follow.
- Saad Guerraoui is a senior editor at Middle East Online and regular contributor to the Arab Weekly newspaper. He graduated from Newport University (London Campus) with a PhD in Business Administration. He has appeared on various satellite TV channels as an analyst.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye
Photo: Solar mirrors at the Noor 1 Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant, some 20km (12.5 miles) outside the central Moroccan town of Ouarzazate on 17 October, 2015 (AFP)
"Makubaliano ya Paris yanaonyesha kuwa nchi ya Morocco, ambayo kwa sasa ni nchi ya pili kwa ukubwa duniani, ina mpango wa kuanzisha mradi wa nishati safi unaoitwa ""Noor.""" Mradi huo una uwezo wa kuzalisha umeme wa megawatts 580 na unatarajiwa kufunika eneo la mji mkuu Rabat na kutoa umeme kwa nyumba milioni moja. Ni matunda ya juhudi za ufalme wa Afrika Kaskazini katika miaka ya hivi karibuni kupunguza utegemezi wake kwa nishati ya kuagiza, ambayo imekuwa mzigo wa muda mrefu kwenye hazina ya serikali. Sehemu ya kwanza ya mradi huo, Noor-1, imepangwa kuanza kutumika mwishoni mwa mwaka huu. Noor 2 na Noor 3 zitakuwa na uwezo wa kuzalisha umeme wa umeme wa jua katika miaka ya 2016 na 2017, na Noor 4 itatumia teknolojia ya umeme wa jua na kugeuza nishati ya jua kuwa umeme. "Kukamilika kwa kiwanda cha ""Noor-1"" cha dola milioni 660 kunamaanisha kwamba kitakuwa kikifanya kazi wiki chache tu baada ya kumalizika kwa COP21, ikikazia kujitolea kwa Morocco kufikia malengo ya uzalishaji ambayo ilitangaza kwenye mkutano huo." "Mkataba huo pia unasaidia kuandaa hatua za COP22 ya mwaka ujao, ambayo Morocco itakaribisha, na kuashiria juhudi zake za kuwa kiongozi katika mabadiliko ya nishati mbadala na mbali na utegemezi wa uagizaji wa nishati. """ Serikali ina lengo la kufikia uwezo wa ziada wa 6,760 MW kati ya 2015 na 2025, ambayo 3,120 MW ni nishati ya jua, 2,740 MW upepo na 900 MW umeme wa maji. Mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na mahitaji ya nishati ya umeme ya Afrika Kaskazini ni moja ya nchi kubwa zaidi ya kuagiza nishati katika eneo la Mashariki ya Kati na Afrika Kaskazini. Kwa kuongezeka kwa matumizi ya nishati ya karibu asilimia sita kila mwaka katika miaka kumi iliyopita, Morocco ililazimika kupata suluhisho mbadala ili kukidhi mahitaji ya kuongezeka kwa nishati ya idadi ya watu wake wakati wa kuweka mazingira yake safi. Morocco imefungua shamba kubwa zaidi la upepo barani Afrika, lenye uwezo wa MW 300. Mimea ya upepo inawakilisha karibu asilimia 40 ya uwezo wa upepo wa jumla wa nchi katika operesheni ya kibiashara hadi sasa. Kwa ujumla, nchi ina uzalishaji wa nishati ya upepo wa zaidi ya MW 800 tayari katika operesheni, MW 550 chini ya maendeleo na MW 850 chini ya mkataba, wakati uwezo wa MW 1,000 zaidi umepangwa kati ya 2021 na 2025. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti ya shirika la habari la AFP, bajeti ya Morocco ya ruzuku ya mafuta imeongezeka sana katika muongo uliopita, na kwa kuwa gharama za bajeti ya mafuta zinapungua wakati nchi inapoongeza vyanzo vya nishati mbadala, serikali inayoongozwa na Waislamu sasa imechukua uamuzi wa ujasiri wa kuondoa ruzuku ya dizeli mnamo Januari 1, ikimaliza mzigo wa gharama kubwa na usioweza kudumu kwenye uchumi wa nchi. Serikali sasa inaweza kuzingatia kufikia lengo la nchi ya kuongeza uzalishaji wake wa nishati safi. Morocco ilijitolea katika COP21 kupunguza uzalishaji wake wa chafu kwa angalau asilimia 13 ifikapo 2030. Ingawa hii inaonekana kuwa ya hali ya chini, maono yake ya nishati safi ni ya kutamani - inatafuta kukidhi asilimia 52 ya mahitaji yake ya jumla ya umeme ifikapo 2030, sawa na MW 6,000. Ili kufikia lengo hili, uwekezaji wa $ 35bn lazima umemiminwa katika sekta za umeme na nishati safi, ikitoa fursa kubwa ya biashara kwa makampuni ya kigeni. "Kama ilivyotarajiwa, mradi huo utawezesha kupunguza uzalishaji wa CO2 kwa tani 240,000 kwa mwaka, na baada ya Noor 2 na Noor 3 kuanza kufanya kazi, kupunguza uzalishaji wa CO2 kwa tani 522,000, au asilimia 1 ya uzalishaji wake wa CO2 wa tani milioni 56.5 katika mwaka wa 2011, ""alisema wizara ya nishati." Nishati mbadala nchini Morocco pia inachangia maendeleo ya uundaji wa ajira na viwanda, kusaidia zaidi ukuaji wa kiuchumi. Noor 1 pekee imeunda karibu kazi 1,000 na bila shaka itaimarisha biashara za mitaa katika mkoa wa kusini wa Ouarzazate, ambapo mradi huo unategemea. Serikali ya Morocco imechukua hatua nyingine ya kuondoa uchafuzi wa mazingira baada ya Bunge kuidhinisha rasimu ya sheria ya kupiga marufuku utengenezaji, uagizaji, uuzaji na matumizi ya mifuko ya plastiki kuanzia Julai 1, 2016, ingawa bado inaruhusu aina fulani za mifuko kama vile mifuko ya taka, ya baridi, ya kufungia na ya kilimo. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, Morocco ni nchi ya pili duniani kwa matumizi ya mifuko ya plastiki, na inazalisha zaidi ya mifuko bilioni 26 kila mwaka. Hatua hiyo inaweza kuonekana kama kufanya kazi kwa pamoja na lengo la kuongeza utalii wa mazingira nchini. Ingawa mashirika ya mazingira yalionyesha furaha yao juu ya uamuzi huo, hatua hiyo ilikuwa na wakosoaji wake kama wafanyakazi katika sekta ya plastiki waliona kama tishio kwa kuwepo kwao katika soko, na takriban hasara ya kazi 50,000 za moja kwa moja na zisizo za moja kwa moja. Serikali bado haijaonyesha mbadala wowote maalum kwa mifuko ya plastiki. Mifuko ya karatasi inayoweza kuharibika kibiolojia inaweza kuwa mbadala lakini ingehitaji kuondolewa kwa miti na nishati nyingi kwa ajili ya uzalishaji wao. Serikali inahitaji kuanzisha kwa uangalifu mbadala endelevu na wa mazingira kwa mifuko ya plastiki. Morocco imepiga marufuku matumizi ya mifuko ya plastiki nyeusi, ambayo ilikuwa hatari kubwa kwa afya na mazingira. Ni wazi kwamba kupata majibu bora haitakuwa rahisi au bila magumu. Lakini kuna hadithi za mafanikio kwa habari ya nishati ya jua na upepo nchini Ujerumani, kwa mfano, na katika mkoa wa MENA labda Morocco inapaswa kuonekana kama moja ya mifano yenye kung'aa ya kufuata. Saad Guerreroi ni mhariri mwandamizi wa Middle East Online na mchangiaji wa kawaida wa gazeti la Arab Weekly. Alihitimu kutoka Chuo Kikuu cha Newport (London Campus) na PhD katika Utawala wa Biashara. Ameonekana kwenye vituo mbalimbali vya televisheni vya satelaiti kama mchambuzi. Maoni yaliyoonyeshwa katika makala hii ni ya mwandishi na hayaonyeshi sera ya uhariri ya Mashariki ya Kati ya Jicho Picha: Kioo cha jua katika kiwanda cha Noor 1 cha nishati ya jua, karibu kilomita 20 nje ya mji wa Ouarzazate katikati mwa Morocco mnamo Oktoba 17, 2015.