Sir Dave Lewis, the former Tesco CEO who turned around the UK supermarket chain and who is now the executive chairman of Xlinks, said he is “optimistic” about the ambitious Morocco-UK power cable project that is projected to power nine million British homes with renewable energy generated in Morocco by 2030 through a 4,000-km subsea transmission line, according to the Guardian. If successful, the project could deliver 8% of the UK’s electricity needs and significantly bolster its clean energy agenda.
The cable, buried along the seabed, will connect the UK to Morocco’s Tantan province, where a sprawling network of solar and wind farms will generate consistent electricity, thanks to the region’s sunny skies and steady winds. The setup includes battery storage to ensure up to 19 hours of reliable power daily.
Lewis described the endeavor as a predictable and essential solution for climate change: “It’s a matter of explaining the logic and addressing skepticism until people see its immense potential.”
Since taking the helm at Xlinks in 2020, Lewis has worked to align the project with the goals of the UK government, including cutting carbon emissions by 81% by 2035 and establishing a clean energy system by 2030. However, despite receiving a “project of national significance” designation over a year ago, the British government has yet to finalize agreements.
The initiative doesn’t require public funding, but it does need a stable pricing contract for electricity delivered, estimated at £70 to £80 per megawatt hour (MWh)—a competitive rate compared to the UK’s Hinkley Point C nuclear project and offshore wind farms.
To advance the project, Lewis has rallied support from major investors, including TotalEnergies, TAQA, General Electric, and Octopus Energy. Greg Jackson, founder of Octopus Energy, expressed admiration for the concept: “If oil and gas companies can build global pipelines, power lines should be easier. It’s feasible, and Xlinks makes a compelling case.” Jackson added that Lewis’s outsider perspective from retail has brought a fresh, pragmatic approach to the energy sector.
The project’s technical complexity and reliance on energy sources in a foreign country have raised concerns among UK policymakers. Yet Lewis assured that the all the components of the project—solar farms, wind turbines, batteries, and high-voltage subsea cables—are well-established technologies.
“We’re not inventing new tech; it’s about scaling what already works,” he explained. He also pointed to plans for a Scotland-based factory to supply up to half of the cable, contingent on government cooperation.
Delays have plagued the project, however, and while it was originally slated to begin earlier, Lewis remains optimistic.
He believes this bilateral energy partnership will enhance the UK’s energy security while showcasing Morocco’s renewable energy leadership. “The UK must embrace collaborations like this to meet future energy demands sustainably,” he said, noting the importance for an island like Britain to build long-term geopolitical relationships in an increasingly interconnected world.
For Morocco, the venture underscores its status as a renewable energy powerhouse, leveraging its natural resources to export electricity and foster international partnerships. The initiative could strengthen the economic ties between the two nations, setting a precedent for future cross-border green energy projects.
Rephrase in a different way as if you were a native American speaker as a content creation expert and do not talk about yourself or your experience in the text and do not show yourself as an artificial intelligence who wrote and fill the bullet point in the topic and speak the heart of the topic itself and dont take date of blog in ther first and dont take text like box of newsliter subscribe on post from content and romove all linke insert in content and and remove all affiliate disclosure phrases on content like this “This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links that allow us to earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our Disclosure Policy for more info” and “#” put in its place bullet point, and romove name of the web site or his links we are take a content from our new creation
