Prioritizing sustainability of renewable energy projects in Morocco
International Journal of Energy Sector Management
ISSN: 1750-6220
Article publication date: 12 November 2024
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to examine the electricity generation potential of different renewable energy sources in Morocco, as well as to propose a novel decision support model to prioritize renewable energy alternatives. The aim is to provide recommendations that support Morocco’s energy transition strategy and assist policymakers in devising future sustainable energy policies.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper integrates the analytic hierarchy process with expert feedback to prioritize five renewable energy alternatives – solar photovoltaics (PV), concentrated solar panels (CSP), wind, hydro and biomass – specific to the Moroccan context. The model uses 14 sub-criteria clustered into four main categories: economic, technological, socio-political and environmental. The criteria were weighted based on inputs from local energy sector experts to capture the distinct priorities and contextual specificities of Morocco’s renewable energy landscape.
Findings
The study’s findings emphasize the dominance of economic criteria among Moroccan experts. Solar PV emerged as the most suitable option due to its cost-effectiveness and alignment with Morocco’s policies to support solar energy, followed by hydropower and wind. CSP and biomass ranked lowest due to high costs and limited viability.
Research limitations/implications
This study highlighted the need for quality data to support informed decision-making, as well as for a centralized database to facilitate access to consistent information on renewable energy projects.
Practical implications
It is recommended that policymakers prioritize mature and cost-effective technologies by establishing supportive regulatory frameworks and expanding investments in hybrid renewable energy infrastructures.
Originality/value
In addition to introducing the Analytic Hierarchy Process model for the first time within the Moroccan context, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research draws recommendations to assist Moroccan policymakers in devising future sustainable policies for the energy sector.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The first and second authors would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the CNRST under the “PhD-Associate Scholarship – PASS” program, which has enabled us to pursue our research. Also, we extend our appreciation to the Moroccan Agency of Sustainable Energy, Energy Park and the anonymous respondents for their participation in the data collection and recognize their valuable comments and suggestions provided during this study. Special thanks are also due to Mrs Abdeslam En-Nouaary and Yassine Rami for their invaluable support throughout the course of this research.
Citation
En-Nouaary, B., Beniaich, R. and Hmioui, A. (2024), "Prioritizing sustainability of renewable energy projects in Morocco", International Journal of Energy Sector Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-06-2024-0014
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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