MENAREC 5, 15 – 16 May 2012 in Marrakech

It will be organized by the Ministry of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment of the Kingdom of Morocco in partnership with the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ).

MENAREC 5′s organisers say that It is set to become a milestone on the path to closer and wider regional and EU-MENA cooperation in the renewable energy sector. Morocco has  being seen as the leader in the region as regards  development of solar and wind power projects. Algeria and Tunisia and Libya are keen to develop renewables but disputes and instability are happering development.Egypt has some projects underway but Morocco is seen as the leader in  developing new  “anchor” projects and experts say that it has the stability and the strategic  government  renewable energy policies to prove that renewables can work.

The Desertec Foundation project envisages interlinked solar energy plants all over the North African  desert supplying electricity to Europe but for such a gigantic project to get the investment it needs some key strategic projects need to be launched first to prove that it can be done. Investment in the current golbal ecobnomic climate is hard to comeby. The theory of solar and wind energy- clean energy sources with a low  or no carbon emmission is attractive and evryone acknowledges that hydro carbon fossil fuels will run out in the future but this is someway off and oil and gas still drive the world economy.There are major vested interests at stake.

Morocco currently imports 97 per cent of its energy needs and the Ministry of Energy Mines and Water together with Masen, Morocco’s Agency for Renewable Development have developed strategic plans and the government has defined the development of renewable energy as a national strategic objective to secure energy supplies. They came to this conclusion well before other countries in the region and have set about dealing with the key issue of raising funds and technological expertise.

The main project is a is a planned  $2.8 billion concentrated solar project, meant to produce 500 MW and scheduled to start construction this year in Ouzarzarte this will be one of the proving grounds for Desertec to begin building its network all across the Sahara. There are also wind farms under construction including the one at Taza to be built by EDF and Mitsui.

The Central theme of MENAEC 5 is “Prospects and Challenges for a Sustainable Socio-economic Development of the MENA Region through Renewable Energy”. It is an important moment for EU Mena cooperation and Morocco is leading the way. The conference is an opportunity to discuss and plan for this revolutionary new energy concept for the years ahead.

More info : http://www.menarec5.org/home.php

Source : http://maghrebpanorama.com


Genesis Morocco : http://genesismorocco.blogspot.com