Manon Burbidge

Lund University

HAF Intern – Marrakech

Morocco to Invest $14bn in Renewable Energy

Morocco is working towards achieving its goal of 52% renewable energy by 2030 by putting $14bn of investment into the renewable energy sector.

Included amongst larger scale projects are installations of off-grid solar capacity which will reach 1000 rural villages in the country.

This project will reduce energy import dependency, currently at 93%, and is hoped to create a surplus which can be exported.

Read more: https://constructionreviewonline.com/2019/01/morocco-to-invest-us-14bn-in-boosting-renewable-energy-projects/

Agroforestry Initiatives to Empower Women and Increase Climate Resilience

All-women’s cooperatives in the Rif Mountains surrounding Ouezzane have struggled with 2018’s olive and fig harvests due to unstable weather – drought in the summer and heavy rain in the autumn – as a result of climate change.

Local women have formed a group of economic interest (GEO), named “Femmes du Rif”, bringing together cooperatives which produce olive oil.

They are using traditional agroforestry methods to grow olive and fig trees, which combat desertification and soil erosion, alongside annual crops such as wheat and fava beans.

Read more: https://news.mongabay.com/2019/01/agroforestry-empowers-moroccos-mountain-women/

“Clean and High Efficient Cooling” Workshop to take place in Marrakech

The United Nations Environment Programme and implementing partners will conduct a “Clean and High Efficient Cooling in Morocco” workshop from 29^th-30^th January in Marrakech.

The two-day seminars will present the results of a feasibility analysis of a district cooling system, provide trainings for engineers and urban planners, and discuss the next steps needed to accelerate clean cooling for Morocco.

Read more: https://www.districtenergyinitiative.org/clean-and-high-efficient-cooling-morocco

Tender Issued for 200MW Photovoltaic Projects in Morocco

Morocco’s Office National de l’Electricité has started the process of deploying its 200MW Photovoltaic energy generation scheme under the Noor Atlas projects.

The projects are co-financed by the German Development Bank, the European Investment bank and the French Development Agency, among others.

Seven plants will be constructed, each of 20-30MW, in the south and east of the country.

Other solar projects in the pipeline include the 120MW Noor Tafilalet plant, the 200MW Noor Argana plant and the 800MW Midelt project, all of which will help Morocco attain its goal of adding a 2GW energy capacity to the grid by 2020.

Read more: https://www.pv-magazine.com/2019/01/15/morocco-issues-200-mw-pv-tender/

Morocco’s Amazigh People Rally for Recognition of their New Year

Hundreds of Moroccan Amazigh people gathered in Rabat to mark the Amazigh New Year, in call for official state recognition of the date.

Yennayer, or new year, marks the start of 2969, and is the anniversary of the ascent of King Sheshong to the Egyptian throne.

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/morocco-amazigh-push-official-recognition-year-190114075223681.html

Manon is a postgraduate student of Human Ecology at Lund University, Sweden, currently interning with HAF in Marrakech.