1. 🚁 Heli view: Look who challenges South Africa in renewables

Morocco is ranked as the world’s most attractive renewable energy market for investment.

• In 2022, renewables accounted for 38% of Moroccan power generation.

• It aims to increase the share in its energy mix to 52% by 2030.

• In South Africa, a bigger economy, renewables account for less than 10%.

Size matters: In actual numbers, South Africa still easily outranks the North African upstart. 

• Morocco is fourth among African renewables producers, after Egypt and Ethiopia. 

• Though it may overtake them if projections turn out to be right over the next decade.

Healthy competition: The gap between Morocco and South Africa will remain steady.

• Moroccan aspirations to outproduce South Africa are far-fetched for now.

What matters: The salient question though is not around future rankings but how Morocco got to this point.  

• What can other African nations learn from afar as many ramp up renewables?

Not obvious: The first lesson goes counter to much that the renewables sector has learnt.

• The success of mini-grids and the failure of national grids suggests small is beautiful.

• And there is a lot to embrace there. Mega-projects have often been letdowns. 

And yet: Morocco could not have attained its level of renewables success without them. 

• Noor Ouarzazate is the world's largest concentrated solar power plant with a capacity of 580 MW.

• The Noor Midelt Phase 1 hybrid solar power plant, to be completed this year, is designed to have an installed capacity of 800 MW

Beyond sunshine: Saharan rays are potent, but so is the Atlantic breeze.

• Tarfaya Wind Farm, one of Africa's largest, has 131 turbines and an installed capacity of 300 MW. 

• Aftissat Wind Farm went up to 400 MW after gaining 40 additional turbines. 

Game changer: A project called Xlinks wants to connect new Moroccan solar and wind generation of 11,500 MW via a 4,000-km subsea cable to the UK by 2031. 

• This would change the picture dramatically (see our chart, which includes Xlinks)

• The green light for the $30 billion project has yet to come. 

• But things are seemingly in motion, though timing remains uncertain.

Good governance: None of the progress would have been possible without investor trust.

• Mega-projects are especially vulnerable to infrastructure and policy headwinds.

• Morocco is teaching the continent a lesson in the value of stability and sophistication.

• Over 50% of projects are being developed by the private sector.

Execution game: Having good policies is great. But implementation counts even more.

• And here Morocco is out-executing many others. Components of the newly launched 270 MW Jbel Lahdid Wind Farm were manufactured at home. 

And yes: The country’s geography is also a notable asset – beyond just sun and wind.

• Proximity to European markets has enabled direct energy exports. 

• A 1,400 MW submarine Spain-Morocco cable is the continent’s first EU power link.

Being extrovert: International partnerships smooth access to financing.

• All the big EU funders are active in Morocco: EBRD, EIB, AFD, KfW invest millions.

Secondary benefits: This in turn has helped local industry and created one of the most dynamic green economies anywhere.

• Abundance of renewable energy boosts a move into energy storage systems.

• China’s Gotion High Tech put $1.3 billion into a battery production plant in Rabat.

• Morocco targets production capacity of 100,000 electric vehicles per year.

• French firm Engie eyes a $16 billion local desalination and green hydrogen project.

Taking bets: While Morocco is not yet overtaking South Africa in renewables, it has advantages that will eventually favour it.

• Morocco enjoys a more stable debt trajectory and a lower interest burden.

• South Africa is crushed by loans and a widening budget deficit limits investment.

• Morocco is developing a smart grid, while South Africa continues to face blackouts.

2. Number of the week 

… is the amount that ActionAid, an NGO, claims that wealthy nations owe Africa in “climate debt”. By that it means climate finance obligations.

4. What we’re reading

• Airborne clues: Scientists are applying crime scene investigation techniques to track West Africa's critically endangered chimpanzee. By analysing DNA extracted from air and soil samples, the team can confirm the presence of this elusive subspecies, a breakthrough for conservation efforts. Like humans leaving genetic traces at crime scenes, animals shed DNA through skin cells, hair, and saliva. Researchers have partnered to refine eDNA sampling to detect the endangered primates in Guinea-Bissau's forests. This subspecies, genetically distinct with unique behaviors, including crafting hunting spears, has seen populations plummet by 80% in recent decades due to deforestation and bushmeat hunting. (Discover Wildlife)

• Electrification surge: Sustained investments have connected nearly 100 million people across Africa to electricity since 2015. Regional disparities persist, with Northern Africa nearing universal access, while sub-Saharan regions show varied progress. West and Southern Africa are on track, driven by powerhouse nations, while East and Central Africa lag. (Global Energy)

• Cattle diet: Radio frequency identification technology is revolutionising sustainable agriculture. At the University of Pretoria, a New Zealand-funded initiative equips livestock with smart tags that trigger specialised feed dispensers, allowing precise monitoring of each animal's consumption. The breakthrough addresses a critical challenge in Africa: Cattle provide 70% of dietary protein for many populations while contributing to global warming. (DFA)