Morocco will dedicate about 2.5 million acres of land to new cutting-edge energy projects — here’s how

Morocco to Dedicate 1 Million Hectares of Land to Green Hydrogen Projects

Morocco is set to embrace green hydrogen in a big way, allocating about 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares) of land to new projects to deliver the clean power source.

The Potential of Green Hydrogen

Green hydrogen, produced when electrolysis converts water into hydrogen and oxygen, has the potential to power trucks, ships, or planes. The only byproduct is water, which is much better than planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide and methane produced by burning dirty energy.

Morocco has the world’s largest solar power plant, Ouarzazate Solar Power Station.

It covers 2500 hectares (the size of 3,500 football fields)

It powers over 500,000 homes pic.twitter.com/95DeeMAJ50

— Africa story Live (@AfricaStoryLive) December 3, 2020

It could revolutionize the energy sector, but the process is energy-intensive, which makes gains minimal when compared to the power used to create it.

Morocco’s Opportunity for Green Hydrogen

But Morocco presents a huge opportunity to develop green hydrogen. Abundant sunlight allows for substantial energy yields from solar power, and clean energy can be used to create green hydrogen that can be utilized in some of the world’s most polluting machines.

Indeed, the North African country boasts the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant. The Ouarzazate Solar Power Station covers an area of about 7,400 acres (3,000 hectares) and produces around 580 megawatts of power, according to CNN.

The first phase of green hydrogen production will consist of about 740,000 acres (300,000 hectares), as Reuters detailed. The Moroccan government will offer incentives for investors who want to get involved in generating the fuel, both for domestic use and export.

Morocco’s Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals

The prime minister’s office said the country’s green hydrogen ambition will “play a major role in the field of energy transition globally.”

Morocco already produces a significant portion of its energy from renewable sources, with 37.6% of the country’s supply coming from solar, wind, and other clean technologies, per Reuters. According to the ESFC Investment Group, before the construction of the Ouarzazate facility, the country was generating 95% of its electricity from imported dirty energy.

However, to achieve a goal of having renewables account for 52% of all installed capacity by 2030, per Reuters, further ambitious plans are required, and green hydrogen could help accelerate efforts to meet that target.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

   • Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services
   • Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
   • Indicator: Percentage of energy generated from renewable sources

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
   • Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
   • Indicator: Percentage of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes
   • Indicator: Investment in research and development (R&D) as a proportion of GDP

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Analysis

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main SDGs addressed are:

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The article discusses Morocco’s commitment to embracing green hydrogen, which is a clean power source. This aligns with SDG 7, which aims to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services. Morocco’s efforts to allocate land for new green hydrogen projects contribute to the goal of increasing the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

SDG 13: Climate Action

The use of green hydrogen as a clean power source helps mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This aligns with SDG 13, which focuses on climate action. Morocco’s commitment to green hydrogen production contributes to integrating climate change measures into national policies and strategies.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The article mentions Morocco’s plans to develop green hydrogen infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable. This aligns with SDG 9, which aims to upgrade infrastructure and promote sustainable industrialization. Morocco’s investment in research and development for green hydrogen technologies demonstrates its commitment to innovation and sustainable industrial processes.

The specific targets identified based on the article’s content are:

• Target 7.1: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services
• Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
• Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes

The indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:

• Percentage of energy generated from renewable sources: This indicator can measure progress towards Targets 7.1 and 7.2, as it reflects the share of renewable energy in the overall energy mix.
• Percentage of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions: This indicator can measure progress towards Targets 13.2 and 13.3, as it reflects the effectiveness of integrating climate change measures and reducing emissions.
• Investment in research and development (R&D) as a proportion of GDP: This indicator can measure progress towards Target 9.4, as it reflects the level of investment in sustainable technologies and industrial processes.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: thecooldown.com

Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.