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Monday, 6 February 2023

Spain, Morocco shake hands on renewables agreements + EUR 880 mn credit line

Spain and Morocco signed 19 MoUs, including renewable energy and water management agreements, at the end of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s two-day visit to Rabat last week, according to Morocco World News. Spain also extended a credit line worth up to EUR 800 mn “to promote investments in sectors such as railways, water, agri-food, and tourism,” according to a statement. No further details on the agreements were provided.

Closer energy cooperation in the offing: Moroccan Energy Minister Leila Benali met with her Spanish counterpart Teresa Rodriguez on the sidelines of the high-level meeting to discuss energy cooperation between the two countries, with a specific focus on green hydrogen, electricity, and mining, according to a statement. The pair’s conversation took place with COP28 in mind as Spain will preside over the European Council during the climate conference.

We knew clean energy would be on the agenda during the Spaniards’ visit: Press reports ahead of the high-level meeting suggested Spain and Morocco were set to discuss the joint development of solar energy and green hydrogen. The two countries already have infrastructure in place for Morocco to export energy — including renewables and green hydrogen — across the Mediterranean to Spain.

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KSA and France are setting up a framework for collaboration in the energy sector — including clean energy initiatives after the two countries signed an MoU during a meeting in Riyadh on Thursday between KSA’s Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and France’s Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reports. The MoU is aimed at boosting cooperation in areas including renewable energy, energy efficiency and storage, and smart grids. It’s also designed to enhance collaboration in fields like climate change-mitigation tech — including carbon capture and hydrogen production — energy supply chain localization, and research. During the Riyadh meeting, the two ministers also discussed possible cooperation on nuclear energy use, clean hydrogen, and electricity interconnection.

India, France, and the UAE established a “trilateral initiative” to support sustainability and advance solar and nuclear energy, according to a statement released on Saturday. The initiative will coordinate efforts from the three nations’ development agencies to implement sustainable projects, including addressing single-use plastic pollution, desertification, and food security with a particular emphasis on the Indian Ocean region.

Egypt, Romania talk energy: Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly discussed exchanging energy and expanding green hydrogen capacity during a meeting with his Romanian counterpart Nicolae Ciuca on Saturday, according to an Egyptian Cabinet statement.

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