Recognizing the numerous benefits of regional electricity market integration, France, Germany, Morocco, Portugal and Spain signed a joint declaration, during COP22 in Marrakech, on the establishment of a roadmap for sustainable electricity trade (SET) between Morocco and the European internal energy market. An activity was launched on 7 September 2017 in Rabat to prepare the SET Roadmap. The objectives of the SET Roadmap preparation exercise are:

  • To analyze the benefits of increased RES electricity exchanges, resulting from electricity market integration.
  • To identify investments, processes and procedures to enable sustainable electricity trade between the five signatories.
  • To formulate the SET Roadmap implementation pathway.

The work undertaken will include studies to analyze the economic, financial, legal/regulatory, security, technical, environmental, social, market and implementation topics relevant to the SET Roadmap preparation. These studies have now been launched and they are expected to be finished within six months’ time.

The studies that will be undertaken need to analyze the value of electricity market integration between the signatories (cost-benefit analysis), to identify obstacles and preconditions to flows of electricity when economically justified and to define an implementation plan to transform market integration between the five participating countries from a concept to a reality on the ground.

These studies will include:

  1. conducting a full-fledged cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of expanding electricity exchanges between the signatory countries, based on scenario analysis and using a holistic power system model of integrated electricity markets between France, Germany, Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
  2. analyzing the legal, regulatory and market framework for electricity trade between the SET Roadmap participants and assessing what could be improved to allow free electricity trade between them.

A consortium of consultants has been engaged to undertake these studies (within the MENA CSP Knowledge and Innovation Program, with funding from the Clean Technology Fund through the World Bank).  The consortium includes Artelys, Castalia, Ernst and Young, and Fraunhofer ISI.

The Middle East and North Africa Concentrating Solar Power Knowledge and Innovation Program aims to accelerate CSP investments in the region by addressing knowledge and awareness gaps, linking projects with sources of finance and technical advice, and promoting innovation. This three-year program was launched in late 2016 by the World Bank with support from the Climate Investment Funds (CIF).

About CMI

The Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) is a multi-partner platform where development agencies, Governments, local authorities and civil society from around the Mediterranean convene in order to exchange knowledge, discuss public policies, and identify the solutions needed to address key challenges facing the Mediterranean region.

Since 2008, the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) has built a portfolio of over 300 investments in 72 developing and middle-income countries to scale up renewable energy and clean technologies, mainstream climate resilience in development plans and action, and support the sustainable management of forests. Although most programs and projects are still in the early stages of implementation, our funding has already contributed to over 3 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity and close to 3 million people are already benefiting from CIF-supported climate resilience measures. Our experience shows that with strong leadership, the right technical and financial support, and inclusive partnerships, difficult investment decisions can be made with tangible results.