Energy & Environment

As the only country in North Africa without commercially relevant oil or gas reserves, Morocco relies heavily on foreign energy imports to meet domestic demand. To counter this dependence, the government has embarked on a range of reforms to boost renewable energy sources. These efforts are concentrated around solar, wind and hydroelectricity, which together are expected to comprise 42% of the national energy mix by 2020. This new emphasis on renewables is also set to develop new industries and generate employment. At the same time, the government has sought to source hydrocarbons closer to home, attracting investment from small-scale oil and gas exploration companies.

This chapter contains interviews with Stephen Jenkins, Chairman, Circle Oil; and Nasim Khan, Vice-President for Africa, First Solar.