Morocco Plans 1,400 km Undersea Cable to Export Renewable Energy to France
The British company Xlinks is embarking on an innovative venture to establish a new undersea electric link that would connect northern Morocco directly with France, bypassing the Spanish electrical grid entirely. This ambitious project, named Qantara Med, is set to run approximately 1,400 kilometers from the Nador region in Morocco to a French port, likely Marseille, as reported by Africa Intelligence. The primary goal of this initiative is to export Morocco's surplus renewable electricity to Europe, capitalizing on the country’s growing capabilities in renewable energy production.
At this stage, the project is still in its infancy, with no definitive timeline or final budget outlined. However, Xlinks has already established a subsidiary in France, known as Elemental Power, which is tasked with conducting technical studies and navigating the necessary regulatory processes. This proactive approach demonstrates Xlinks' commitment to making the project a reality, despite the challenges that lie ahead.
Lessons from the Past: The Unfulfilled UK Project
Qantara Med represents Xlinks' pivot from a previous endeavor known as the Morocco-UK Power Link. The earlier plan proposed a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable spanning approximately 3,800 kilometers, designed to transport electricity generated from solar and wind farms in southern Morocco to the United Kingdom. This cable was intended to have a capacity of 10.5 gigawatts, enough to power around seven million British homes, divided into four lines reaching Pembrokeshire, Wales.
However, the UK government under Keir Starmer ultimately rejected this project, prioritizing domestic energy production instead. A significant factor in this decision was the refusal to guarantee a long-term price for the electricity through a contract for difference, which made securing financing for the project exceedingly difficult.
The new undersea route significantly reduces the distance compared to the UK project, potentially lowering installation costs and simplifying the deployment process. The technology remains the same—high-voltage direct current—which is capable of transmitting vast quantities of electricity over long distances with minimal loss of around 3% per 1,000 kilometers. In contrast, an alternating current line covering the same distance could experience losses exceeding 20%.
France stands to be a promising buyer, particularly as the nation seeks to diversify its electricity imports, especially during maintenance periods of its nuclear reactors, which can lead to decreased production and soaring wholesale prices.
Implications for Spain and Challenges Ahead
Currently, the Iberian Peninsula serves as the natural transit route for energy flowing from North Africa to Europe. However, the existing electrical interconnection between Spain and France is limited to about 2,800 megawatts in a north-south direction, hindering Spanish renewable energy from reaching central European markets. A direct cable from Nador would provide Morocco with an independent pathway to these markets, positioning its energy production as a competitor to Spanish resources.
Despite its potential, the project faces three significant hurdles. The first is financial; estimates indicate that the cost of such a cable would be at least 3 billion euros under favorable conditions. Additionally, the British experience highlighted that without long-term contractual guarantees from the receiving country, securing financing is arduous. The second challenge is regulatory; for Moroccan electricity to enter the European market via a direct cable to France, the European Union would need to integrate Morocco into its internal energy market, which is not currently the case. Lastly, there is a political dimension, as the initiative arrives amidst strained relations between Madrid and Rabat.
As reported by okdiario.com.
