By Abbas Nazil & Abdullahi Lukman
Morocco has announced plans to phase out coal power by 2040, marking a major step toward achieving a clean energy future and reinforcing its global climate commitments.
According to the updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), the country’s coal exit will depend on international financial and technical support, though Morocco also pledged an unconditional phase-out by the 2040s.
The Powering Past Coal Alliance (PPCA) confirmed that Morocco intends to triple its renewable energy capacity to over 15 gigawatts by 2030, while upgrading energy storage and electricity grids to sustain the transition.
Coal currently provides nearly 59.3 percent of Morocco’s electricity, down from 70 percent in 2022.
Wind and solar energy now contribute about 25 percent, up from only 9 percent in 2015, showing significant progress in the shift toward cleaner sources.
Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, stated that ending reliance on coal and investing in renewables will boost energy security, support economic growth, and improve air quality.
She confirmed that Morocco has halted new coal projects and is focusing on technical and financial mechanisms to achieve a low-carbon economy.
The North African nation began its renewable journey in 2009 with a national energy strategy targeting 52 percent renewable energy by 2030.
It later raised ambitions in 2021 to reach 70 percent renewable power by 2050 and reaffirmed its no-new-coal pledge at COP26.
Experts described the new coal exit plan as a decisive evolution in Morocco’s climate policy, turning earlier commitments into concrete timelines.
The PPCA noted that Morocco’s move reflects a global shift, as renewable energy recently generated more electricity than coal worldwide for the first time in history.
By pursuing this path, Morocco aims to build a sustainable, self-reliant energy future and contribute to global efforts to curb climate change.
