Morocco to invest MAD 220 bn in water and electricity: Morocco has launched a five-year plan to invest MAD 220 bn (c. USD 23.7 bn) in its electricity and water sectors, with MAD 177 bn (c. USD 19 bn) going towards electricity and MAD 43 bn (c. USD 4.6 bn) going towards water, according to a statement from Monday. Some 72% of the investments are planned to be financed by the private sector, with about MAD 100 bn earmarked for the development of 12.5 GW of renewables projects, according to the statement.

Water security also in focus: The government is also planning to invest big in water security projects, including in drinking water projects, networks supplying villages, and desalination projects. The investments are essential for the drought-striken Kingdom — now in its fifth year of drought, with water inflows declining from 2.5k cbm per capita annually in 1960 to 620 cbm in 2020. In 2023, the country approached the absolute water scarcity threshold of 500 cbm per capita per year.

REMEMBER- Morocco needs some MAD 30 bn in investments to boost its national electricity grid by 2030, with MAD 27 bn grid investments already planned to accommodate the increasing share of renewable energy, which already account for 45% of the country’s energy mix. The country is planning to add 9+ GW between 2023 and 2027 at a cost of MAD 90 bn.

MORE REGIONAL INVESTMENT UPDATES-

Kuwait-based Capital Edge will invest USD 1 bn in Indian green energy company NexGen Energia to scale up its compressed bio-gas (CBG) infrastructure across India, The Economic Times reported on Monday. The investment — made through an equity uptake — will support the installation and operation of new CBG plants as the company looks to expand deployment nationwide.

SOUND SMART- CBG is a renewable fuel produced by purifying biogas, primarily methane and CO2, generated from organic wastes. The purification process removes impurities like hydrogen sulfide and moisture, resulting in methane-rich gas (over 90% methane) that is then compressed to be used as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels like natural gas to power vehicles or generate electricity. CBG is considered green since it captures methane from waste.

About NexGen Energia: NexGen is a private energy company specializing in the engineering, construction, and procurement of CBG plants. NexGen plans to establish 1k CBG plants by 2026, according to the Economic Times..

About the investor: Kuwait’s Capital Edge is an investment firm focusing on high-impact infrastructure projects across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The firm provides long-term equity commitments for large-scale projects, including those in the renewables sector.

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