Morocco plans to invest $7 billion to add 9 gigawatts to its 11 GW installed energy capacity by 2027, energy minister Leila Benali said on Wednesday.

Renewables would make up 6.5GW of the added capacity, Benali told a conference on batteries in Rabat. Renewable capacity is currently 4.5GW, or 37.6% of total capacity, according to electricity regulator.

Morocco has invested $6 billion in renewables since 2009, seeking to increase their share of the country's energy mix to 52% by 2050, mostly through investments in solar and wind.

"We must invest more in areas like grids- to enhance development of renewables in our country - storage and batteries," Benali said.

In terms of actual production, about 70% of Morocco's electricity is generated from coal, with renewable energy accounting for 20% last year, official figures showed.

The government said in March that it will build liquefied natural gas infrastructure in the Mediterranean port of Nador and connect it with a pipeline through which Morocco has been importing gas from Spanish LNG terminals.

"Natural gas plays a crucial role in our energy transition," the minister said.

Earlier this year, the government unveiled incentives and identified 1 million hectares as part of its green hydrogen offer to attract investors, targeting both the domestic market and exports.

Green hydrogen, produced by splitting water through electrolysis using renewable energy, is expected to play a key role in decarbonising industries.

(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)