126 S. MOORE
is pumped uphill using surplus energy during off-peak hours of demand
and is later released to capture its kinetic energy during peak hours (see
Fig. 5.1). Otherwise, the percentage of installed hydroelectric capacity
in Morocco’s portfolio will go down while installed capacity remains the
same. It is necessary to reduce dependency on hydropower because of
siltation of the dams and drought impeding electricity production from
hydropower facilities, which has required greater electricity imports from
Spain.
The government then institutionalized renewable energy policy. Law
57-09 launched the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN),
founded in March 2010. The Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau
Potable (ONEE), the state-owned utility monopoly, became responsible
for green power purchase agreements and wind development, in addition
to its existing jurisdiction over hydroelectricity and other PPAs outside of
those under Law 13-09. Law 16-09 created the Agence Nationale pour le
Développement des Energies Renouvelables et de l’Efficacité Energétique
to manage solar and wind resource mapping and energy efficiency initiatives. The Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies, founded
in 2011, is the first competitive research funding agency in Morocco.
Finally, law 40-08 established the Société d’Investissements Energétiques,
a funding agency for energy development. In 2015, ONEE transferred
all wind and hydroelectric responsibilities other than pumped storage
to MASEN, which was renamed the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable
Energy. In 2010, Law 13-09 allowed independent wind and hydroelectric power producers to sell power to the utility company and allowed for
renewable energy export.
Consistent with the critical geopolitics lens, the Moroccan government
is reframing Morocco as an energy-wealthy country, awash with renewable
energy resources (Fig. 5.2). Morocco’s energy leaders frame renewable
resources as having latent social and economic benefits that Morocco’s
institutions will ‘valorize,’ or unlock, through technological development
and commercialization. Resources that interviewees framed as in need
of valorization included Morocco’s solar and wind deposits (gisements ),
its favorable sites for renewable energy, its geographical position, and its
social capital.
Morocco is meeting numerous social challenges through its renewable energy policy including boosting the standard of living, improving
equity of opportunity, stemming urbanization, fostering national pride,
expanding the research and development (R&D) system, providing
opportunities to young college graduates, expanding industrial policy,
and developing export commodities. 26 While concentrating solar power
is pumped uphill using surplus energy during off-peak hours of demand
and is later released to capture its kinetic energy during peak hours (see
Fig. 5.1). Otherwise, the percentage of installed hydroelectric capacity
in Morocco’s portfolio will go down while installed capacity remains the
same. It is necessary to reduce dependency on hydropower because of
siltation of the dams and drought impeding electricity production from
hydropower facilities, which has required greater electricity imports from
Spain.
The government then institutionalized renewable energy policy. Law
57-09 launched the Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy (MASEN),
founded in March 2010. The Office National de l’Electricité et de l’Eau
Potable (ONEE), the state-owned utility monopoly, became responsible
for green power purchase agreements and wind development, in addition
to its existing jurisdiction over hydroelectricity and other PPAs outside of
those under Law 13-09. Law 16-09 created the Agence Nationale pour le
Développement des Energies Renouvelables et de l’Efficacité Energétique
to manage solar and wind resource mapping and energy efficiency initiatives. The Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies, founded
in 2011, is the first competitive research funding agency in Morocco.
Finally, law 40-08 established the Société d’Investissements Energétiques,
a funding agency for energy development. In 2015, ONEE transferred
all wind and hydroelectric responsibilities other than pumped storage
to MASEN, which was renamed the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable
Energy. In 2010, Law 13-09 allowed independent wind and hydroelectric power producers to sell power to the utility company and allowed for
renewable energy export.
Consistent with the critical geopolitics lens, the Moroccan government
is reframing Morocco as an energy-wealthy country, awash with renewable
energy resources (Fig. 5.2). Morocco’s energy leaders frame renewable
resources as having latent social and economic benefits that Morocco’s
institutions will ‘valorize,’ or unlock, through technological development
and commercialization. Resources that interviewees framed as in need
of valorization included Morocco’s solar and wind deposits (gisements ),
its favorable sites for renewable energy, its geographical position, and its
social capital.
Morocco is meeting numerous social challenges through its renewable energy policy including boosting the standard of living, improving
equity of opportunity, stemming urbanization, fostering national pride,
expanding the research and development (R&D) system, providing
opportunities to young college graduates, expanding industrial policy,
and developing export commodities. 26 While concentrating solar power