Barriers, drivers, and practices of industrial energy efficiency: An empirical study in Morocco’s largest industrial hub

This study presents the first empirical analysis of industrial energy efficiency adoption in Morocco, focusing on Casablanca—the country’s primary industrial hub, accounting for 21 % of national energy consumption. Based on a structured questionnaire and interviews with 39 firms across 15 industrial zones, the research identifies, ranks, and analyzes the key barriers, drivers, practices, and information sources influencing energy efficiency implementation. Findings show that financial and behavioral barriers are most significant, with 46 % of respondents identifying “other priorities for capital investments” as a major constraint. In contrast, 69.2 % cited cost reduction as the strongest driver. Adoption levels are higher for electrical energy efficiency measures (average score: 0.60) than for thermal ones (0.46). Widely implemented electrical solutions such as efficient lighting (0.78) and power factor correction (0.72) contrast with the limited uptake of advanced thermal technologies like economizers and automatic blowdown control, which remain underused due to technical and financial constraints. Cronbach’s alpha tests confirmed strong reliability: 0.90 for barriers, 0.93 for drivers, and 0.85 for information sources. Firms showed high reliance on expert advice—consultants, auditors, and the local agency for energy efficiency were the most trusted sources—while general channels like media and conferences were less valued. Comparative analysis with similar studies from other countries reveals both shared challenges and Morocco-specific dynamics. This study offers actionable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers, recommending targeted financial tools, regulatory updates, capacity building, and real-time monitoring to align industrial practices with SDGs 7 and 13 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.