National solar pumping market structuring for irrigation

Morocco’s 2009 National Energy Strategy aims to support the energy sector’s low-carbon transition and to reduce the nation’s dependence on energy imports.  In this context, the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE) contracted ACS to carry out a study to support the development of solar pumping in Morocco.  The study is part of the Global Environment Facility’s solar pumping project, organized in partnership with UNDP.  Its main objective is to accelerate the development and deployment of climate-smart and innovative technology in agriculture (solar pumping and micro-irrigation) to increase productivity and build resilience to climate change.

AFC’s study established guidelines and proposed mechanisms factoring in the reality of the solar pumping market in Morocco, irrigation practices, the environment, and local climate, resulting in the development of an overarching strategy for solar pumping market optimization in Morocco.

Client: Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE)

  • Duration: 2018-2020

Activities

  • Established a comprehensive inventory of the solar pumping market;
  • Developed quality standards for equipment and services related to photovoltaic (PV)-powered pumping applications based on international practices;
  • Proposed appropriate financing mechanisms and incentives to promote the solar pumping market;
  • Strengthened the PV-powered pumping value chain and structured its services through the emergence of energy service companies;
  • Developed a mitigation scheme for the potential environmental impact of the extension of PV-powered pumping;
  • Established a roadmap for program deployment.

Results

  • Development of guidelines for the electrical design and installation of solar pumps;
  • Development of a model that can estimate the number of solar pumping installations in Morocco (62,000 installations by the end of 2020);
  • Implementation of a labelling system for solar equipment;
  • Proposing new financing mechanisms with cross-cutting support measures;
  • Preserving water resources exploited by solar pumping;
  • Waste management of substituted heat pumps and solar equipment.