Morocco

The presented article aims to design an educational test bench setup for smart grids and renewable energies with multiple features and techniques used in a microgrid. The test bench is designed for students laboratory engineers and researchers which enables electrical microgrid system studies and testing of new advanced control algorithms to optimize the energy efficiency. The idea behind this work is to design hybrid energy sources such as wind power solar photovoltaic power hydroelectric power hydrogen energy and different types of energy storage systems such as batteries pumped storage and flywheel integrating different electrical loads. The user can visualize the state of the components of each emulated scenario through an open-source software that interacts and communicates using OPC Unified Architecture protocol. The researchers can test and validate new solutions to manage the energy behavior in the grid using machine learning and optimization algorithms integrated in the software in form of blocks that can be modified and improved and then simulate the results. A model-based system of engineering is provided which describes the different requirements and case studies of the designed test bench respecting the open-source software and the frugal innovation features in which there is use of low-cost hardware and open-source software. The users obtain the opportunity to add new sources and new loads change software platforms and communicate with other simulators and equipment. The students can understand the different features of smart grids such as defect classification energy forecasting energy optimization and basics of production transmission and consumption.

Sustainable hydrogen production is a priority for Morocco and it’s part of the country’s national energy strategy which is currently being developed. Many processes can be used for its production. However it’s necessary to select the appropriate one for Morocco’s case. In this study a multi-criteria analysis was followed to select the best clean and renewable catalytic process for hydrogen production on an industrial scale. Ten routes were evaluated using the AHP method coupled with the Fuzzy Vikor method for criteria weighting and ranking of alternatives respectively. The results showed that alkaline water electrolysis coupled with renewable energy sources is the most suitable for industrial production in Morocco. The processes that are not well ranked and require further study and development before deployment on an industrial scale are biophotolysis photo fermentation photolysis and thermolysis. The parametric sensitivity analysis performed validated the result obtained. Then the potential for hydrogen production using solar energy is investigated. It was found that Morocco can produce 1057.26 million tons of green hydrogen showing how attractive the selected catalytic process is. This study enables investors and decision-makers to make an informed decision about whether to develop a green hydrogen production industrial installation in Morocco.

The search for new fuels to supersede fossil fuels has been intensified these recent decades. Among these fuels hydrogen has attracted much interest due to its advantages mainly cleanliness and availability. It can be produced from various raw materials (e.g. water biomass) using many resources mainly water electrolysis and natural gas reforming. However water electrolysis combined with renewable energy sources is the cleanest way to produce hydrogen while reducing greenhouse gases. Besides hydrogen can be used by fuel cells for producing both electrical and thermal energy. The aim of this work was towards efficient integration of this system into energy efficient buildings. The system is comprised of a photovoltaic system hydrogen electrolyzer and proton exchange membrane fuel cell operating as a cogeneration system to provide the building with both electricity and thermal energy. The system’s modeling simulations and experimentations were first conducted over a short-run period to assess the system’s performance. Reported results show the models’ accuracy in analyzing the system’s performance. We then used the developed models for long-run testing of the hybrid system. Accordingly the system’s electrical efficiency was almost 32%. Its overall efficiency reached 64.5% when taking into account both produced electricity and thermal energy.

Investing in green hydrogen systems has become a global objective to achieve the net-zero emission goal. Therefore it is seen as the primary force behind efforts to restructure the world’s energy lessen our reliance on gas attain carbon neutrality and combat climate change. This paper proposes a power management for a net zero emission PV microgrid-based decentralized green hydrogen system. The hybrid microgrid combines a fuel cell battery PV electrolyzer and compressed hydrogen storage (CHSU) unit aimed at power sharing between the total components of the islanded DC microgrid and minimizing the equivalent hydrogen consumption (EHC) by the fuel cell and the battery. In order to minimize the EHC and maintain the battery SOC an optimization-based approach known as the Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) is used. A rulebased management is used to manage the power consumed by the electrolyzer and the CHSU by the PV system in case of excess power. The battery is controlled by an inverse droop control to regulate the dc bus voltage and the output power of the PV system is maximized by the fuzzy logic controller-based MPPT. As the hybrid microgrid works in the islanded mode a two-level hierarchical control is applied in order to generate the voltage and the frequency references. The suggested energy management approach establishes the operating point for each system component in order to enhance the system’s efficiency. It allows the hybrid system to use less hydrogen while managing energy more efficiently.

Oceanic energy sources notably offshore wind and wave power present a significant opportunity to generate green hydrogen through water electrolysis. This approach allows for offshore hydrogen production which can be efficiently transported through existing pipelines and stored in various forms offering a versatile solution to tackle the intermittency of renewable energy sources and potentially revolutionize the entire electrical grid infrastructure. This research focusses on assessing the technical and economic feasibility of this method in six strategic coastal regions in Morocco: Laayoune Agadir Essaouira Eljadida Casablanca and Larache. Our proposed system integrates offshore wind turbines oscillating water column wave energy converters and PEM electrolyzers to meet energy demands while aligning with global sustainability objectives. Significant electricity production estimates are observed across these regions ranging from 14 MW to 20 MW. Additionally encouraging annual estimates of hydrogen production varying between 20 and 40 tonnes for specific locations showcase the potential of this approach. The system’s performance demonstrates promising efficiency rates ranging from 13% to 18% while maintaining competitive production costs. These findings underscore the ability of oceanic energy-driven green hydrogen to diversify Morocco’s energy portfolio bolster water resilience and foster sustainable development. Ultimately this research lays the groundwork for comprehensive energy policies and substantial infrastructure investments positioning Morocco on a trajectory towards a decarbonized future powered by innovative and clean technologies.