Morocco installs 204 MW of utility-scale solar in 2025

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Official data from Morocco’s National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water puts the country’s cumulative utility-scale solar capacity at almost 1.3 GW, while import data suggests there could be a further 3 GW of operational solar spread across the commercial and industrial, solar pumping and residential solar markets.</span></p><p class="p1"><a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/region/morocco/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Morocco</a> deployed 204 MW of new utility-scale solar capacity last year, according to figures from the National Electricity Regulatory Authority (ANRE).</p>
<p class="p1">The figure takes Morocco’s cumulative utility-scale solar capacity to 1,285 MW, data from the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) adds. The office estimates there is a further 534 MW of concentrated solar power in the country.</p>
<p class="p1">Salma Boumhaouad and Soukaina Boudoudouh from the Rabat-based Institute Research Energy Solar And Energy Nouvelles (IRESEN), and Amine Iraqi Houssaini from Casablanca-based Renpower, told <b>pv magazine</b> that while solar deployment statistics covering the distributed segments remain difficult to accurately track, due to limited official reporting and reliance on import statistics, import data from Moroccan customs suggests more than 1 GW was added across the commercial and industrial (C&amp;I), solar pumping and residential segments last year.</p>
<p class="p1">“Beyond the utility-scale, the C&amp;I, solar pumping and residential segments are estimated to account for more than 3GWp of additional installed capacity,” the trio added. “These figures are largely derived from equipment import data, especially from China.” Solar pumping represents around 60% of Morocco’s distributed market, according to a 2024 market study, with C&amp;I accounting for approximately 30% and residential systems 10%.</p>
<p class="p1">Boumhaouad, Boudoudouh and Houssaini said the main market drivers for Morocco’s solar market last year were falling technology costs and improving project bankability.</p>
<p class="p1">Looking ahead, they expect the recently-introduced Solar Rooftop 500 (SR500) program, which aims to install up to 500 MW of rooftop solar primarily across commercial, industrial and public sector buildings, will be a key driver this year while also helping to reduce pressure on the grid.</p>
<p class="p1">Morocco has established a regulatory framework governing the construction and operation of self-generation installations under law No.82-21. Under Decree No.2 2.25.100, the country defined specific procedures for self-generation installations depending on project size and grid connection level. Small off-grid systems are subject to a simple declaration for connection approval, while medium- and high-voltage grid-connected projects require formal authorization.</p>
<p class="p1">Boumhaouad, Boudoudouh and Houssaini said there is a growing need for regulatory frameworks in Morocco that define different solar modalities, including agrivoltaics, building-integrated photovoltaics and off-grid systems. They cited other regulatory measures that would support Morocco’s solar market as enabling solar electricity exports to international markets, introducing incentives for battery storage co-location and accelerating investment in grid infrastructure, particularly north-south transmission capacity.</p>
<p class="p1">The trio also said Morocco should finalize and implement a low-voltage net metering framework. Moroccan authorities revealed <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/02/23/morocco-sets-net‑metering-tariffs-for-high-and-medium‑voltage-systems/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">new net-metering tariffs</a> for high, medium and extra-high voltage systems earlier this week. At the time, ANRE said a low-voltage tariff for residential PV will be determined once the regulatory and technical framework is established.</p>
<p class="p1">Morocco’s largest solar project to date came online last year, the 105 MW Oulad Farès site located in north-central Morocco. It was developed by Casablanca-based OCP Green Energy and is part of a portfolio of three projects with a cumulative capacity of 202 MW. Last November, Moroccan ministers signed an investment agreement for a <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/24/morocco-signs-deal-for-30000-mt-polysilicon-production-plant/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">polysilicon production plant</a>, expected to have an annual production capacity of up to 30,000 MT.</p>
<p class="p1">A study authored by the Imal Initiative for Climate and Development in November found Morocco could install up to 28.6 GW of distributed solar, creating a $31 billion market. A SolarPower Europe report published last March suggested Morocco was on track to reach <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/03/19/morocco-forecast-to-near-3-gw-of-solar-by-2028/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">3 GW of solar capacity</a> by 2028.</p>
<p class="p1">Morocco reached 45.5% of renewable installed capacity by mid-2025. At the time, hydropower made up 44.6% of renewables, wind 23.8%, solar 16.9% and pumped storage 14.8%. The country has set a target of reaching a 52% share of renewables in its installed electricity capacity by 2030.</p>