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AfrElec GRID AfrElec
Morocco-UK power link
gains new director
MOROCCO FORMER Rolls-Royce chairman Ian Davis strategies focused on the production of green
has been appointed to the board of UK-based electricity and hydrogen.”
Xlinks, which is promoting a 3,800-km subsea Wind, solar and hydropower energies are
transmission cable from Morocco to the UK. gaining momentum in Morocco’s electricity
Davis officially joined the company’s board sector. According to green energy think-tank
of directors in December, African Intelligence IRENA, renewables-based generation capacity
reported on January 3. increased by an impressive 50% between 2015
The UK-Morocco power project aims to and 2020 – and already accounted for 33% of the
bring Morocco’s vast renewable energy oppor- country’s total installed capacity in the latter year.
tunities to the UK market. Meanwhile, Morocco signed Global Coal to
In October 2021, the Moroccan government Clean Power Transition Statement at COP26 on
announced its commitment to raising to 80% its November 4.
use of renewable energy by 2050. In addition to his chairmanship at Rolls-
In the document announcing the country’s Royce, Ian Davis has served in many prominent
energy strategy for 2050, the Ministry of Energy positions as a businessman.
Transition and Sustainable Development said: According to the European Round Table for
“The rapid and continuous drop in the cost of Industry, Davis is also a non-executive director
renewable energies and storage validates the at Johnson & Johnson and Majid Al Futtaim
orientation taken by Morocco and authorises Holdings. He was also a partner at Mckinsey for
the adoption of very ambitious decarbonisation 31 years.
Morocco to raise renewables’
share to 52% by 2030
MOROCCO THE Moroccan government plans to raise the the reduced cost of renewable energies and of
share of renewable energy in the country’s elec- facilities for storing them. The government is
tricity mix to 52% by 2030, 70% by 2040 and 80% currently encouraging smart grid technologies
by 2050, in terms of both power generated and for storage and demand management for that
installed capacity. purpose.
This was announced by the Ministry of The strategy also calls for consolidation of
Energy Transition and Sustainable Develop- the governance of sustainable development
ment, following its submission to the UN of a and for improvement of the management and
long-term strategy for reducing greenhouse-gas development of natural resources. It also aims
emissions for the period to 2050. to strengthen the conservation of biodiversity,
The strategy renewed the North African promote human development, and reduce social
country’s commitment to sustainable devel- and territorial inequalities.
opment and sustainable energy. It aims to cut Wind, solar and hydropower energies are
Morocco’s use of conventional thermal power gaining momentum in Morocco’s electricity
stations, including those fired by coal, natural sector. According to green energy think-tank
gas, and fuel oil. IRENA, renewables-based generation capacity
The green energy strategy was first drafted increased by an impressive 50% between 2015
in October last year, citing the objectives which and 2020 – and already accounted for 33% of
the ministry said were attainable given the cur- the country’s total installed capacity in the latter
rent pace of technological development and year.
P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 01 06•January•2022
