Facing the new demands for competitiveness and carbon traceability, artificial intelligence could become a decision-making aid for Morocco. This is the thesis put forth by Professor El M’kaddem Kheddioui, a researcher at Hassan II University of Casablanca, through the concept of “energy intelligence.”
In a context where international regulatory pressure is intensifying, particularly with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), producing renewable energy is no longer sufficient. It has become essential to measure, trace, and document energy flows and carbon emissions.
From Installed Capacity to Flow Management
Morocco has heavily invested in renewable energy and currently holds a strategy recognized internationally. However, according to the researcher, the real challenge now lies in the ability to manage energy as a central parameter of economic decision-making.
Energy permeates all value chains: industry, transport, agriculture, digital technology, and even green hydrogen. In this context, it becomes a structuring factor of competitiveness, on par with capital or technology.
Moving from an energy transition logic to a management approach requires the establishment of robust measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) mechanisms capable of producing auditable and comparable data.
Data Fragmentation and Governance Challenge
While audits and sectoral initiatives are proliferating in Morocco, energy and carbon data often remain fragmented. The lack of an integrated consolidation framework limits the ability to produce a strategic signal that can be acted upon.
In a country still dependent on energy imports, this fragmentation complicates cost control and the anticipation of international constraints.
AI as an Analytical Tool
In this context, artificial intelligence could play the role of an analytical amplifier. It would allow for processing large volumes of data, detecting inconsistencies, and simulating scenarios under constraints.
However, the researcher insists: AI should not replace human decision-making. Its relevance depends on the quality and harmonization of the available data. Without a reliable foundation, it risks automating biases or inaccuracies.
A Harmonized Data Foundation as a Prerequisite
The identified priority is to structure a harmonized framework for energy and carbon data. This involves standardizing indicators, tracing flows, and ensuring the comparability of information.
“Energy intelligence” rests on two dimensions:
- autonomous management of the energy field;
- contribution to economic intelligence through measurable and verifiable physical indicators.
According to Professor El M’kaddem Kheddioui, the energy transition sets a direction, but only management based on measurement and evidence can transform this ambition into a sustainable economic advantage.
For Morocco, the challenge goes beyond merely producing green energy. It involves enhancing energy governance to bolster competitiveness in an increasingly demanding international environment regarding carbon transparency.
With Le360