Morocco is set to construct a $1.5 billion waste-to-energy facility in Casablanca, marking a significant step in sustainable urban management and clean power generation. A consortium led by Swiss-Japanese firm Kanadevia Inova, working with Moroccan energy company Nareva and Japan’s Itochu, signed the concession agreement and plans to begin construction by the end of 2026. Full operations are targeted for mid-2030.
The plant, the second of its kind in Africa, will process approximately 1.5 million metric tons of municipal waste each year. It is designed to generate around 115 megawatts of electricity from a combination of waste incineration, landfill gas and solar power—enough to supply nearly one million people. Construction will be handled by Moroccan firm Somagec, with financing expected largely from local lenders. A power purchase agreement has already been secured with the state utility ONEE.
The project targets the long-standing environmental problems at the Mediouna landfill, Morocco’s largest. Decomposing waste there has produced significant methane emissions and other pollution. Officials say the new facility will sharply reduce those impacts while converting waste into a reliable energy source. Once running, it is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by an amount equivalent to a meaningful share of a mid-sized European country’s annual output.
Casablanca, home to nearly four million people in the greater area, faces typical challenges of rapid urban growth: rising waste volumes and pressure on existing disposal sites. Turning that waste stream into electricity aligns with Morocco’s broader renewable energy ambitions and its push for modern infrastructure. The consortium emphasised that waste treatment and power generation could begin several months before the full complex is completed.
Beyond energy and environmental benefits, the project is expected to create construction and operational jobs while demonstrating a commercial model for waste management that other African cities may study. Local financing and Moroccan construction involvement should help retain more economic value domestically.
As African cities expand, solutions that address both waste and power shortages simultaneously are increasingly valuable. Morocco’s latest initiative offers a concrete example of how large-scale, technology-driven projects can tackle twin urban challenges.