Implementation of Energy Planning at the Municipal Grouping Level in Morocco to Develop the Concept of Smart Cities
摘要
As part of the sustainable development of countries, integrating new technologies in managing cities is proving relevant. Morocco, for its part, is aligning with the global trend toward a brilliant management model and a decarbonization approach. This integration of new technologies can ultimately result in smart cities. Local authorities play a crucial role in developing smart cities because of their proximity to citizens, their responsibility for managing local infrastructure, and their ability to promote innovative policies tailored to the specific needs of local communities such as public lighting, transport, water distribution, and buildings. To this end, the municipality can carry out its mission in three main areas: reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint, implementing energy efficiency (EE) measures, and integrating renewable energies (RE). This is achieved through municipal energy planning. The present work aims to develop a quantitative and qualitative approach providing the municipality with an energy plan that will enable it to strengthen its governance capacity and achieve its energy transition efficiently. The methodology adopted is based on a strategic approach to energy planning. The strategy and the planning are based on an updated and verified diagnosis of all the municipality’s assets and their respective energy uses (transport fleet, public lighting, water supply, and buildings). The methodology of this project begins with defining a strategic approach for the municipality, followed by an in-depth diagnosis of municipal assets such as public lighting, water supply, buildings, and transport across five communes (Figuig, Taourirt, Guercif, Nador, and Driouech). This diagnosis evaluates energy consumption, malfunctions, and service quality to identify energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. Potential energy savings (PES) are calculated by comparing current conditions to improved scenarios, with estimated GHG emission reductions of about 379 teqCO2/year. Promising results indicate significant savings of 5% to 61%. The current study proposes a municipal action plan as a decision-making tool to support sustainable energy transitions, emphasizing efficient energy use, responsible production, and reduced carbon emissions.