For decades, Morocco has relied heavily on energy imports to meet its growing power needs. More than 90% of the North African country’s primary energy supply has traditionally come from fossil fuels, making it vulnerable to price fluctuations and geopolitical uncertainties. But things have changed.

Morocco has now embarked on a journey to harness its abundant natural resources and position itself as a regional leader in clean energy by reducing its reliance on imported coal, oil and natural gas. Against the backdrop of a global energy transition which is now struggling to stay on track, this commitment is to be applauded.

The Moroccan government’s National Energy Strategy aims to diversify the energy mix by significantly expanding renewable energy production while improving energy efficiency. With a target of generating 52% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, Morocco has become a beacon of progress in the region.

Stepping stones to transition
Morocco has invested heavily in solar power and is tapping the strong winds sweeping across the Atlantic coastline for an abundance of wind energy projects. The path to a fully sustainable grid in the country, however, faces an enormous challenge. The variable nature of solar and wind power means that balancing energy supply with demand is not possible without complementary sources that inherently offer grid stability. It’s easy to overlook the system services that have traditionally delivered inertia, frequency control and dispatchable capacity, and, essentially, allow grids to run.

Morocco is planning ahead and is looking upon natural gas infrastructure, such as gas turbines, to be an enabler for the renewables it is bringing online. When designed for use with clean molecule fuels such as hydrogen, modern turbines act as stepping-stones that can be used by any country to get closer to its transition goals.

To this end, in Morocco, the Jorf Lasfar power plant, one of the country’s largest thermal power facilities, will be adding high-efficiency gas turbines by Mitsubishi Power. This will ensure greater operational stability, reduced emissions and support the grid. Another two Mitsubishi Power gas turbines have just been ordered for the Al Wahda open cycle gas turbine power plant, owned and operated by The National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), again with the intention of enhancing grid stability.

Modern gas turbines which deliver high levels of efficiency – up to 65% – are experiencing a resurgence across several global markets. The approach of using natural gas blended with hydrogen is picking up pace, and for good reason. In fact, a 700 MW combined cycle gas turbine using a 30% blend of hydrogen can cut emissions as much as removing 40,000 diesel cars from the road. As the technology develops further, and using 100% hydrogen, that figure rises to 500,000 cars.

If hydrogen is to reach its full potential in the energy value chain, it is not just the actions of individual countries like Morocco, but multiple nations across the world that will need to make changes. Manufacturers, governments, policymakers, investors and off-takers must aim for regulatory frameworks that enable investment certainty, affordability and scalability. Hydrogen is a versatile and storable fuel, but it’s time to look beyond its potential to how it can be used practically.

Developing at home and overseas
Morocco meanwhile is charting a steady course towards energy independence. This means that the government is not only focusing on large-scale infrastructure but also investing in research, development and workforce training. The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) continues to drive innovation, with pilot projects exploring new storage technologies and hybrid renewable systems. This strategic approach ensures that the country remains adaptable and resilient in an evolving global energy landscape.

One of the most promising areas of growth is Morocco’s emerging role as a green energy exporter. It has been actively developing energy connections with Europe, particularly through the Spain-Morocco Hydrogen Corridor (H2Med). This corridor is integral to facilitate the export of green hydrogen to Europe, with plans to extend this connection to other EU countries. At the same time, Morocco is also linked to Europe via the Spain-Morocco electricity interconnection, which has a capacity of 1,400 MW for energy trading.

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) continues to drive innovation, with pilot projects exploring new storage technologies and hybrid renewable systems.

Morocco has taken a crucial step towards its energy transition – unleashing the power of renewables, but importantly, stabilising its grid system by allowing gas infrastructure to work in tandem, and leaving the door open for the utilisation of hydrogen. Morocco’s vision and progress on its sustainable energy journey is a blueprint for many other countries to follow.

The good news is that the technology and momentum are there to achieve Morocco’s ambitions. The next step now is to scale hydrogen to the level required by setting in motion a wider value chain that can unlock the investment needed to sustain its growth through the creation of a supportive policy environment.

But while success means harnessing technological advancements and strategic partnerships, it also means putting in place effective policies to ensure equitable access to affordable electricity for all citizens, in all countries, as a priority.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author only and are not necessarily given or endorsed by or on behalf of the Energy Institute.

• Further reading: ‘A potential 3,800 km-long clean energy solution for the UK’. The intermittency of renewable energy sources is one of their biggest challenges. But long-distance renewable projects connecting areas with reliably high levels of sun and wind to energy markets could become an important solution to this, writes Abby Hockman, Marketing Communications Manager for Xlinks.
• Find out how North Africa is set to lead in global green hydrogen development, with 41 projects expected to enter development over the next five years, according to a new report published by the Energy Industries Council.