External cost of air pollution from energy generation in Morocco

Abstract

Morocco’s electricity demand is increasing and the country is struggling to improve its energy independence. Also, air quality levels in Morocco are considered moderately unsafe, as its PM_2.5 annual mean concentration of 33 $\mu$g/m³ exceeds the recommended maximum of 10 $\mu$g/m³. Renewable energy could be the solution to reduce the country’s harmful air pollution levels, mitigate climate change and decrease energy dependence. Incorporating external cost of air pollution from electricity generation into energy decision making-processes could lead to a shift from the use of fossil fuels to more sustainable and less polluting renewable energy sources. For this to happen, a detailed quantification of external costs is necessary. This paper presents a first bottom-up calculation of the costs of damage to human health from air pollution resulting from energy generation, following the Impact Pathway Approach without atmospheric chemistry modelling for the Moroccan energy system of 2015, to give a first estimate and guideline on the order of magnitude of costs. The overall external costs for 2015 were calculated to be between 8.4 and 18 billion € ₂₀₁₅, equating to 18% of the Moroccan GDP.