The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has just published the report “Global Outlook for Energy Transitions 2024”, which highlights the enormous potential of integrating electricity grids in Africa, both economically and environmentally. Morocco, along with other African countries with high energy demand, are at the heart of this transition towards an interconnected grid on a continental scale.
This integration project aims to reduce the continent’s dependence on fossil fuels. AUDA-NEPAD analyses indicate that this approach could reduce the use of fossil-based electricity by 36%, from 1,339 TWh to 853 TWh. This transformation would directly affect the ten main energy consumers in Africa, including Morocco, which alone represents a significant share of the 3,281 TWh of projected energy demand for the continent by 2040.
For Morocco, this initiative is part of a desire to redefine its energy mix, by reducing its dependence on fossil fuels in favor of renewable sources. According to IRENA forecasts, Morocco could reach an electricity demand of 97 TWh in 2040. Without grid integration, around 32% of this electricity would continue to come from fossil fuels, a significant share that the country hopes to reduce by joining this regional dynamic.
In addition to the environmental benefits, this project could also enable Morocco to become a major player in the green hydrogen trade. Thanks to its renewable energy resources, the country has the potential to develop innovative market strategies, including contracts indexed to hard currencies, to ensure stable and competitive prices, while strengthening its global position in hydrogen exports.
IRENA stresses that even a marginal reduction in the use of fossil fuels as part of this integration would have symbolic and strategic value, opening up opportunities for sustainable industrialisation and for aligning African energy production with international climate standards. This transition represents a lever for innovation and a model for other regions seeking sustainable solutions to climate change.
