This is a best prospect industry sector for this country. Includes a market overview and trade data.
Last Published: 7/15/2019

Overview

Morocco imports approximately 90% of its energy needs, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Energy.  The total primary energy consumption has increased by about 5 % per year since 2004.  Per the state-owned power utility ONEE, Morocco's electricity production derives from coal (31%), hydroelectricity (22%), fuel oil (25%), natural gas (10%), wind (10%) and solar (2 %). 

The national strategic objective is to improve security of supply by reducing dependence on energy imports, including increasing use of renewable sources for electricity production. By 2020, renewable energy is planned to account for 42% of installed electrical generation capacity, or 6,000 megawatts (MW). By 2030, renewable energy sources are planned to provide 52% of the total installed capacity.
 

Leading Sub-Sectors

Morocco offers opportunities to U.S. firms in the following segments:

  • Electrical components 
  • Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Contracting
  • Generators
  • Solar water heaters
  • Batteries/ Chargers
  • Concentrated solar power (CSP)
  • Photovoltaic (PV)
  • Connections
  • Micro Hydraulic Centrals
  • Switches
  • Fittings
  • High, medium and low-voltage applications.
  • Technical training for facilities repair and maintenance


Opportunities

Solar Energy:  Morocco has an average solar potential of 5 kilowatt hours (kWh) per square meter per day, though this varies geographically.  The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) plans for the installed capacity of both CSP and PV to be at least 2,000 MW by 2020.

Wind Energy:  Morocco has a technical wind potential of slightly less than 5,000 terawatt hours (TWh) per year, with potential useful capacity of 25,000 MW, according to the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE).

Energy Efficiency:  Morocco’s energy efficiency strategy was revised with targets to improve energy efficiency by 20% by 2030 and develop action plans in the sectors of transportation, construction, industry, agriculture and public lighting.  AMEE has finalized a contract with the state to focus on the industrial, construction,  technology, building, transportation infrastructure, and public and domestic lighting sectors.

Fossil fuels:  Imported fossil fuels: oil, gas and coal, currently provide for 97 percent of Morocco’s energy needs, according to the World Bank.  The country’s national office for managing hydrocarbon resources, “l’Office Nationale des Hydrocarbures et des Mines” (OHNYM), offers attractive operating and investment terms to oil and gas exploration and production companies. For more information about exploration activities please visit http://www.onhym.com/en/exploration-activity.html

By end of 2019, Morocco is expected to tender a $4.5 billion gas-to-power project, allowing Morocco to import seven billion cubic meters of LNG by 2025.  Works will include four new combined-cycle gas turbine power plants, each with a capacity of 600 MW, an LNG import terminal and onshore regasification unit at the Port of Jorf Lasfar on the Atlantic coast, as well as pipelines connecting the terminal to the Maghreb-Europe pipeline in the north of the country.  Many U.S. companies have shown interest in both the construction and the gas supply sides of the project.
 

Web Resources

Company for Energy Investments (SIE)

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.