Home > Sustainability > Energy > Morocco Launches SR500 Solar Rooftop Program with Swiss Partnership
Morocco officially launched its Solar Rooftop 500 program on Wednesday.
Marrakech – Morocco officially launched its Solar Rooftop 500 program on Wednesday, marking the country’s first concrete implementation of Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. The initiative aims to deploy 500 megawatts of rooftop solar capacity across Moroccan industrial and commercial enterprises.
The launch ceremony in Casablanca brought together 300 participants from public institutions, international partners, financial sector representatives, and solar industry stakeholders. Africa Climate Solutions organized the event in partnership with Cluster ENR.
Swiss Ambassador to Morocco Valentin Zellweger stressed the program’s significance during the ceremony. “We are pleased with the launch of the SR500 program, which will ultimately enable the deployment of 500 MW of rooftop solar, a capacity comparable to that of major solar infrastructure in Morocco,” he stated.
The program operates under climate cooperation between Rabat and Bern, initially established during COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in 2022.
This partnership utilizes Article 6.2 mechanisms to transfer carbon emission reductions, called ITMOs (Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes), from Morocco to Switzerland while ensuring transparency and preventing double-counting.
SR500 targets private Moroccan companies in industrial and tertiary sectors. Eligible projects include new photovoltaic installations on rooftops or canopies up to 3 MWc per project. These installations must be designed for self-consumption, with or without battery storage, and cannot benefit from other subsidies or surplus electricity sales revenue.
The Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development represented the government’s commitment to the program. Officials explained how the 500 MWc target became possible through modernized regulatory frameworks, including Law 82-21 on self-production and the launch of certificates of origin for renewable electricity traceability.
Participating companies will receive carbon revenues in two phases. They receive 60% of estimated avoided emissions value immediately after installation. The remaining 40% comes through annual payments based on actual emissions avoided through 2030.
The program includes comprehensive technical support through Cluster ENR, which ensures projects meet quality standards for equipment and installers. A monitoring, reporting, and verification system tracks emission reductions, requiring independent validation before carbon revenue distribution.
Africa Climate Solutions serves as the implementing entity, managing project aggregation, MRV monitoring, and carbon revenue transfers to beneficiaries. The KliK Foundation handles carbon credit purchases on behalf of the Swiss government.
During the ceremony, Africa Climate Solutions and Cluster ENR signed a partnership agreement. A panel discussion followed featuring representatives from the ministry, Moroccan Energy Efficiency Agency (AMEE), KliK Foundation, and Cluster ENR, addressing energy policy frameworks and carbon finance mechanisms.
The program sits squarely within the country’s wider renewable energy ambitions, part of a national push to source more than 52 % of installed electricity capacity from renewables by 2030 – a strategy centered on solar, wind, and hydro power expansion.
Under SR500, 500 MW of rooftop solar will be deployed nationwide, offering substantial economic and environmental benefits.
Local media L’Economiste previously reported the initiative could generate around 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in installation and maintenance. Rooftop generation is also expected to reduce participating companies’ electricity bills by 25% to 40%, enhancing competitiveness and productivity.
This initiative is backed by a $500 million (≈ MAD 5 billion) funding envelope provided by the Swiss climate foundation and channeled through Moroccan banks, with potential carbon premiums covering up to 25% of installation costs – especially benefiting SMEs.
Aligning with national goals, SR500 complements Morocco’s drive to cut fossil fuel dependence and accelerate its energy transition ahead of 2030 targets.
Read also: Report: Morocco’s NOOR Is a Success Story in Africa’s Energy Transition
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