Morocco's World Cup opponent: How does the electricity sector work?

Brazil's debut in the 2026 World Cup will be against Morocco this Saturday (13), at 19 pm. In addition to having reached the semi-finals of the last World Cup and being 29 games unbeaten, off the pitch the African country also stands out for its advances in its electricity sector.

Although thermal power generation still plays an important role in electricity supply, especially through coal and natural gas plants, the share of renewable sources has been growing rapidly in the country, with solar, wind and hydroelectric power standing out.

In recent years, the Moroccan government has set ambitious goals to increase the share of clean energy in the electricity mix and consolidate the country as a regional leader in the energy transition.

Expansion of renewable energies

Morocco is considered one of Africa's leaders in renewable energy. The country leverages its high solar and wind potential to diversify electricity generation and reduce its vulnerability associated with importing oil, coal, and natural gas.

In recent years, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources has grown significantly. According to recent data, the country has surpassed 4,8 GW of installed renewable capacity, with a focus on solar projects and wind farms distributed across different regions of the territory.

The official goal is for renewable energy to account for 52% of installed electricity capacity by 2030.

Institutional structure

The Moroccan electricity sector is primarily coordinated by ONEE (Office National de l'Électricité et de l'Eau Potable), a public company responsible for energy transmission and a significant portion of generation and distribution activities.

Market regulation is carried out by ANRE (National Electricity Regulatory Authority), created to oversee the sector's operation, define rules for network access, and encourage the gradual opening of the market to private initiative.

In addition to state-owned companies, private investors participate in power generation, especially in renewable energy projects.

Operations

The Moroccan electrical system operates in an integrated manner and prioritizes ensuring a balance between energy generation and consumption.

In recent years, energy planning has incorporated new solutions to increase grid flexibility, including energy storage systems, reversible power plants, and strengthened electrical interconnections.

The expansion of renewable energy requires continuous investments in infrastructure to ensure the stability of the system in the face of variability in solar and wind power generation.

Transmission and distribution

The transmission network connects the country's main urban, industrial, and port centers. In recent years, Morocco has intensified investments to expand the network's capacity and enable the integration of new renewable energy projects.

In 2025, ONEE secured international funding to modernize hundreds of kilometers of transmission lines and increase electricity transportation capacity.

Modernizing infrastructure is considered essential to meet growing demand and the goals of decarbonizing the economy.

Energy policies

Moroccan energy policy is strongly focused on the energy transition. The government promotes programs to encourage renewable energy generation, energy efficiency, and the development of technologies associated with energy storage and green hydrogen.

Furthermore, the country has approved expansion targets for the solar and wind power sectors by the end of this decade, seeking to consolidate a more sustainable and competitive electricity matrix.

Pricing

Electricity costs in Morocco are heavily influenced by its reliance on imported fossil fuels. It is estimated that the country imports approximately 90% of its energy needs, making the sector sensitive to fluctuations in international energy prices.

For this reason, the expansion of renewable energy sources is seen as a strategy to reduce costs in the long term and increase tariff predictability.

Dispute with Brazil over green hydrogen.

In addition to advancements in renewable energy generation, Morocco is also positioning itself as one of Brazil's main competitors in the global green hydrogen market.

The country seeks to leverage its strategic location, close to Europe, and the abundance of solar and wind resources to attract investments focused on the production of low-carbon fuels.

Much of this strategy is associated with the exploitation of vast desert areas in the Sahara, where large solar complexes capable of generating electricity on a large scale are installed.

The energy produced in these projects can be used to power water electrolysis processes, enabling the production of green hydrogen for both domestic consumption and export.

In recent years, the Moroccan government has launched programs to attract international investors and develop a production chain focused on green hydrogen and its derivatives, such as green ammonia.

Like Brazil, the country is betting on the potential of renewable energies to become a relevant supplier of clean fuels in a market that is expected to gain importance in the coming decades.

Challenges

Despite the progress, Morocco still faces significant challenges in the electricity sector, such as:

• Reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels;
• Expand transmission infrastructure to keep pace with the growth of renewable energy;
• Increase energy storage capacity;
• To ensure the stability of the system in the face of the expansion of solar and wind power generation;
• To achieve the goal of 52% of installed renewable capacity by 2030.

Despite these challenges, Morocco is considered one of the most advanced countries in Africa in terms of energy transition. The growth of investments in solar and wind energy, coupled with the modernization of the electricity grid, should continue to transform the Moroccan energy system in the coming years.

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