Moroccan Railway Sector to Continue Clean Energy Transformation Plan
(AWP) - Morocco’s National Railway Office (ONCF) affirmed its commitment to continuing its plan towards clean energy transformation, which began two years ago amid the Kingdom’s growing interest in deploying renewables.
The new phase aims at operating 90% of electric trains using clean energy, with a plan to reach 100% soon thereafter.
Morocco aims to increase electricity production from clean sources such as solar, wind, and green hydrogen, with the aim of reducing energy spending in a country that imports more than half of its electricity needs from Europe.
“The Kingdom of Morocco is one of the emerging countries most committed to developing wind and solar energy, and the use of thermal energy is also now in the process of study and development at the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines,” said Lalla Amina Ouzzaouit, a Moroccan clean energy researcher.
“Morocco is developing deep scientific research in order to expand the production of clean energy, and most importantly, expanding its use in public transportation, such as trains, buses, and now cars,” she added.
According to Walid Ettaqi, member of the Environmental Scientific Orbit Initiative in Morocco, “the plan to use clean energy to operate trains in Morocco began in 2018, when the train currently known as Al Boraq began operating.”
“Morocco is looking forward to operating about 90% of its trains with clean energy by the end of this year, in line with the energy transition that Morocco started in January 2022,” he added.
“I believe that the goal is to achieve energy sovereignty, reduce costs, and improve Morocco’s position as a carbon-free economy by 52% by 2030. This makes the Kingdom of Morocco one of the emerging countries most committed to developing clean energy,” Ettaqi continued.