Breaking Ground: Morocco’s First Offshore Wind Project

While Africa has been missing in the global offshore wind scene, Morocco has become the first country in the continent to unveil an offshore wind project. The initiative was announced last week at an event hosted by the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) during the United Nations Ocean Conference in France. The UfM-supported multi-donor fund, the Blue Mediterranean Partnership (BMP), raised extra financing that will see investments in key blue economy initiatives in the Mediterranean region.

One of the selected initiatives is the offshore wind project near Essaouira city in Morocco, a first of its kind in the country. The project has the potential to generate up to 1 GW, with construction scheduled to begin in 2029.

“This project is part of a dynamic that combines energy independence, industrial attractiveness and economic competitiveness,” said Leila Benali, Morocco’s Minister of Energy Transition.

Last year, Morocco (with support from a $2.1 million grant from the European Investment Bank) issued a call for a feasibility study on offshore wind development. The exercise is spearheaded by the Moroccan Renewable Energy Agency (MASEN), which is tasked with achieving a national target of sourcing half Morocco’s electricity supply from renewable energy sources by 2030.

Morocco is on course to hit this target, with government data showing that wind energy capacity reached 2.4 GW by the end of last year. This capacity came from onshore projects, but offshore wind resources present the best opportunity for expansion.

Offshore Wind Potential in Morocco

According to World Bank estimates, Morocco has a potential of 200 GW of offshore wind capacity, of which 22 GW are best suited for bottom-fixed turbines while the rest would be floating wind farms. With a vast coastline of 3,500 kilometers, some regions along the Atlantic coast – such as Tangier, Tetouan, Essaouira and Dakhla – have been identified as the best places for offshore wind development. Wind speeds in these regions are estimated to reach 11 meters per second (m/s), ideal for wind energy generation.