Four EU countries and Morocco sign roadmap for sustainable electricity trade
Morocco, Germany, France, Spain and Portugal have signed a roadmap for sustainable electricity trade, in the presence of European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete.
The roadmap, signed in Marrakesh at the COP22 climate summit on 17 November, 2016, aims to identify barriers to trade in renewable electricity between the five signatory countries and suggest ways to overcome these barriers.
Integration
Arias Cañete said: “I am proud to witness the signature of an agreement which creates a path for integrating more renewable electricity in our electricity systems.
“Today, the growth of renewables no longer hinges on reducing their costs or securing funding, but the challenge of integrating electricity sources which are as variable as the weather into the electricity system.
“This can be achieved by linking electricity systems across borders and on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea, and today’s signature is an important step in this direction.”
“Interconnecting electricity systems allows surplus renewable electricity produced in one country to be exported to a nearby country with lower production levels, smoothing out fluctuating supply and demand.
“The (European) Commission supports this initiative towards integrating more renewable electricity.”
In its signatory statement, the EC said: “Recognising that improved electricity market integration between Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Europe could facilitate the integration of increasing renewables electricity on both sides.
“Considering that the Moroccan and the European Union electricity grid are partially interconnected through Spain, share common technical standards, and are synchronised.
“Also, the interconnection between Morocco and the Iberian Peninsula is expected to be strengthened through a new interconnection with Portugal. Once the European internal energy market, including the necessary physical infrastructures, is completed, major technical obstacles to solar or other renewable energy trade will be tackled.”
