A pavilion dedicated to electric vehicles, a dominant Chinese presence and limited European representation made up the solar fair held from February 10 to 12 in Casablanca, Morocco. Local distributors warned of rising prices for Chinese solar equipment, while a booming commercial and industrial (C&I) segment, an emerging residential market, emerging storage demand and largely untapped solar potential underlined the sector’s direction.
The 14th edition of Solaire Expo Maroc, held under the banner of electric mobility, took place from February 10 to 12 at the Casablanca International Fair in Casablanca, Morocco. Hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturers were present, including the Moroccan operations of Stellantis and Renault in Kenitra. The event had the theme “Centralized and decentralized energy transition: Morocco as a hub for renewable energy and green hydrogen between Africa, the Middle East and Europe.”
Rachid Bougern, founder and director of the exhibition, said the event aimed to reflect the strong national momentum in Morocco’s sustainable energy sector and support the Kingdom’s goals of accelerating the energy transition and strengthening energy sovereignty. In addition to expanding generation capacity, Morocco is trying to build an integrated ecosystem around innovation, energy storage and new mobility solutions.
The free trade show attracted around 10,000 visitors – including professionals, students and members of the public – and featured 150 exhibitors from 15 countries. Regular participants included Green Power Afrique, JA Solar and Aesolar. Asian companies highlighted battery storage technologies, while mounting system suppliers K2 Systems and Dome Solar, along with building technology specialist Adiwatt, returned with independent stands.
Except for Econosol, specialized in residential PV and turnkey C&I solutions, Moroccan installers were largely absent from the exhibition floor. In contrast, local B2B distributors of solar energy equipment – numbering about ten nationally – were strongly represented, including Solarway by Disway, Clearenergy and Erra Solar Company.
Distributors describe the market as ‘very dynamic’, reporting growth in both sales and volumes, despite modest price adjustments after China removed VAT rebates on exports of certain solar equipment. The sector remains dependent on major international brands such as Huawei, Jinko Solar, Longi, Canadian Solar and GreenPower Energy. Distributors say they are prioritizing proven technologies that are suitable for local conditions and customer expectations, with no significant disruptions to the supply chain or customs clearance reported.
Two important public institutions were conspicuously absent: ONEE, the National Agency for Electricity and Drinking Water, and Masen, the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy. ONEE oversees solar grid integration, while Masen leads the national renewable energy strategy. Masen is preparing twelve new photovoltaic power stations and is planning a large-scale solar energy measurement campaign to collect irradiation and meteorological data for future technical and economic studies.
Morocco benefits from approximately 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, giving it significant solar potential. An estimated 1 GW of installed PV capacity – approximately 60% to 70% of total production – is currently used for agricultural irrigation.
Residential solar energy remains limited due to the lack of strong incentives and a clear regulatory framework. In contrast, the commercial and industrial segment is expanding under Law 82-21, which allows self-generation and the sale of excess energy.
Morocco and Switzerland have also signed the Solar Rooftop 500 agreement, which aims to deploy 500 MWp of rooftop PV for companies in the industrial and service sectors by 2030. The initiative represents a first step towards Morocco’s goal of reaching 3 GW of solar energy capacity by 2028.
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