Day: June 29, 2024

Berlin – Morocco and Germany signed, on Friday in Berlin, a declaration aimed at establishing a joint climate and energy alliance to strengthen bilateral cooperation on climate protection and energy transition.

The declaration, signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Svenja Schulze, and Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Stefan Wenzel, aims to establish greater cooperation in climate adaptation, the development of renewable energies and the production of green hydrogen.

With this partnership, inked in the presence of HM the King’s ambassador to Germany, Zohour Alaoui, the two countries are deepening their cooperation in the development of the green hydrogen industry, electricity trading, decarbonization, climate adaptation and skills training.

“Morocco has excellent conditions for producing electricity from wind
and sun, with which it can cover the needs of its own economy and, in future, also start exporting green hydrogen to Germany”, stressed a statement by the German Federal Ministries for Economic Cooperation and Development and for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

Morocco and Germany can draw on a wealth of experience in working together, particularly in the use of wind and solar energy, added the same source, noting that the BMZ has supported the construction of the world’s largest solar thermal power plant in Ouarzazate, which supplies electricity to around 1.3 million people.

“Embarking on the production of green hydrogen is the next step for Morocco”, the statement noted, adding that solar and wind power plants enable large-scale implementation and thus sustainable production of green hydrogen on an industrial scale and the development of green economic sectors.

It stressed that Germany is already involved in the construction of the first reference plant for the production of green hydrogen in Mo
rocco, to be built over the next few years.

The plant is expected to produce around 10,000 tons of hydrogen per year, enough to produce 50,000 tons of green steel, said the same source, adding that the project is also intended to serve as a benchmark project for the profitability of green hydrogen production in Africa, and to boost private investor confidence in Morocco.

Other investments will follow on the basis of the new Morocco-German climate and energy alliance, the statement pointed out.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse

Brussels – Morocco is a model in terms of its commitment to a sustainable energy strategy and African cooperation, said, on Friday in Brussels, Managing Director of the National Hydrocarbons and Mining Office (ONHYM), Amina Benkhadra.

Speaking at a conference entitled “Transition to renewable energies… the future of green hydrogen”, held as part of the 36th edition of the “Crans Montana” Forum, Benkhadra pointed out that “Morocco, with its dynamism in the field of sustainable development, and its qualitative potential in the terms of renewable energies, its proximity to European markets, its trade relations with the United States, and the vision underlying the Atlantic Initiative launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is ideally placed to seize the opportunities available and establish mutually beneficial partnerships and build win-win partnerships”.

After highlighting Morocco’s many assets, notably its strategic geographical position at the crossroads of Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East
and America, Benkhadra emphasized that “South-South cooperation is progressing with many African countries (…), as Morocco has developed its ties with the continent’s countries in several sectors (energy, agriculture, banking…), and is also contributing to numerous regional integration projects”.

Referring to Morocco’s energy strategy, ONHYM’s Managing Director explained that this strategy, adopted in 2009, aims to achieve a diversified energy mix that is ideal for power generation in particular, based on clean, reliable and competitive technological options.

According to her, this strategy is also meant to develop on a large scale the country’s enormous resources in the field of renewable energies, notably solar and wind power, by improving energy efficiency and mobilizing national fossil resources through intensified oil exploration, while stimulating integration within African and Euro-Mediterranean energy systems to enhance energy security, technological exchange, and the early adoption of environme
ntal protection measures in all energy activities.

The strategy also aims to develop the country’s abundant renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind power, to boost energy efficiency and utilize domestic fossil resources through oil exploration, while encouraging integration within African and Euro-Mediterranean energy systems to enhance energy security, technological exchange, and the early adoption of environmental protection measures in all energy activities.

In the same context, Benkhadra stressed that Morocco has adopted a green hydrogen offer with a stable and attractive regulatory framework, real estate assets, and distinct access to renewable energy sources, in particular.

With regard to the African Atlantic gas pipeline that will link Nigeria and Morocco, she said that this pioneering and visionary project is the outcome of the joint commitment of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, a project that was later reaffirmed by president Bola Tinubu
.

Source: Agence Marocaine De Presse