Morocco Aims to Increase Share of Gas in Energy Mix

Morocco’s Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment has said that the country is aiming to increase the share of natural gas in its energy mix, North Africa United has reported.

"Moreover, Morocco has set up a liquefied natural gas terminal in the region of El Jadida at Jorf Lasfar which can be connected to any distribution network. It is an important investment that has been accomplished in a partnership between the public sector and the private sector,” he said. 

Morocco began to import natural gas from Algeria last November, but these imports are small  and are intended entirely for the production of electricity in the Ain Beni Mathar thermal power plant, the report said.  At the end of May 2012, imports of natural gas only reached 255.96 million cubic meters.

Natural gas would allow Morocco to diversify its sources of energy and to reduce CO2 emissions, and the potential demand is estimated at 5 billion cubic meters in 2013 and 10 billion cubic meters in 2018.