What public lighting governance model should be deployed in Moroccan cities for sustainable and efficient energy management?

Abstract

The strategy of public lighting in Morocco is today a real urban issue: a well-lit city satisfies citizens and is a factor of development, attractiveness, safety and economy for communities. Urban authorities are challenged to define the right lighting, where it is needed, when it is needed, how it is needed and at the best cost. In the midst of economic and industrial growth and in the face of societal challenges, Morocco is aiming to achieve ambitious energy independence targets while meeting its commitments to sustainable development. To this end, Morocco has developed an energy efficiency strategy, one of the main axes of which is the implementation of efficient public lighting services by 2030 with the ambition of reducing electricity consumption by 13%. Public lighting in Morocco represents a significant burden for municipalities. There are more than 1.5 million light points in urban municipalities, for an estimated annual consumption of 1,000 GWh, with an annual increase of 8%. The related investment and operating expenses reached about 3.5 billion DH in 2018. The objective of this paper is to present an analysis of the governance of public lighting in Morocco. It presents the various obstacles and constraints to achieving effective management of public lighting. The first step consists of an analysis of the modes of governance of public lighting in Moroccan cities. Then, a proposal for a public lighting governance mechanism is made on the basis of an international benchmark, including proposals for improving the energy performance of public lighting.