Rabat - The current situation in Morocco stands at a crossroads in terms of the nation's progress in the energy sector. Due to the rising growth of its population, with high living standards and industrialization, there is a growing demand for energy in the country.

As indicated in the report published by the Imal Initiative titled "The Potential of Decentralized Renewable Energy Systems in Morocco," there is a need to rapidly integrate renewable resources to decrease the nation's dependence on expensive fossil fuels.

According to the report, decentralized renewable energy solutions, or DRES, can be the backbone of the clean energy plan in Morocco.

These systems rely on technologies like rooftop solar panels, energy storage, and electric vehicles, making it possible for consumers to play an active role as so-called "prosumers," who not only consume but also produce electricity themselves.

This move aligns closely with the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water's (ONEE) 2025-2030 Infrastructure Plan and the New Development Model (2021-2035), both of which prioritize resilience, reliability, and competitiveness in the energy sector.

The Imal Initiative underlines that the rooftop solar panel potential in Morocco can form the basis for a decentralized power production on a large scale.

Based on data issued by the High Commission for Planning (HCP), the report estimates the total solar rooftop potential in the country, the related costs, and CO₂ savings resulting from large-scale implementation.

A market worth over $30 billion

The scenario modeling in the report shows that the potential for decentralized renewable energy in Morocco in 2035 is substantial.

Under the optimistic model, decentralized systems could generate 66.8 TWh with an installed base of 28.58 GW, representing an economic market of $31.08 billion (MAD 286.45 billion) with the avoidance of 48.19 million tons of CO₂.

Even under the median scenario, production could reach 40.1 TWh with an investment value of US$18.65 billion (MAD 171.89 billion).

Another aspect that emerges in the study is the synergy between rooftop solar power and electric mobility. Estimates, based on the National Low-Carbon Strategy 2050 projection, indicate that there can be up to 2.5 million electric vehicles (EVs) in the country by the year 2035.

If integrated through smart bidirectional charging technologies, known as Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, EVs can collectively hold a total storage capability of 39,420 GWh, which would be able to cover 91% of Morocco's total energy demand in 2035.

As per the study, rooftop solar installations can cover between 59% and 98% of the recharging requirements for the vehicles based on the scenario.

This combination, the study argues, would not only help the national power supply but would further enhance energy sovereignty and regional resilience.

Unlocking jobs and reforming regulation

Apart from the importance of DRES expansion to the environment and energy independence, it was observed that it would greatly help the employment market in Morocco if expanded in larger proportions in the coming years.

Over the next decade, the deployment of decentralized solar capacity could create between 13,000 and 43,000 jobs, depending on the growth scenario.

Between 2011 and 2023, MAD 3.36 billion ($364.56 million) has been invested in the field of solar decentralized production in Morocco by households and companies, which reached 336 MWp of installed power.

The lack of a registry to identify these installations, however, makes it difficult to grasp the full significance of the contribution they may provide to the construction of the country's energy mix.

The Imal Initiative's mapping suggests that "a genuine decentralized production revolution is underway," driven by large companies and start-ups, even if most of them were not yet recognized as Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) -- a status that limits their access to financing.

For the realization of such potential, the report recommends implementing the self-generation mandate in Law 82-21 by 2026, new construction norms incorporating green technology, and establishing a National Green Fund to facilitate investments in DRES among residential users and small companies.

The need to invest in smart grids and improve governance through institutional coordination, technical standardization, and policy alignment was also emphasized.

Towards a decentralized and equitable energy model

As indicated in the study, the mass implementation of distributed energy systems might greatly change the entire power structure in Morocco, allowing each of the twelve administrative regions of the country to locally self-produce, self-store, and exchange clean energy.

Surpluses in some regions might serve to compensate for deficiencies in others, in what the authors describe as "a national energy solidarity approach."