Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen) is a Moroccan state-owned company responsible for the development and implementation of national policies in the field of renewable energy, including solar, wind and hydropower.^[1][2]

Established in 2010, it was initially mandated to implement the Moroccan solar plan, which aimed to install a minimum capacity of 2,000 MW by 2020.^[3][4] Its mandate was expanded in 2016 to cover all renewable energy sources, at which time it adopted its current name.^[5]

Masen develops integrated renewable energy projects under agreements concluded with the Moroccan state.^[1]

Masen was established in 2010 as part of Morocco's strategy to diversify its energy mix and increase the share of renewable energy in electricity generation.^[1][6] Its initial mission was linked specifically to the Moroccan solar plan, also known as the Noor Plan, which sought to develop large-scale solar power infrastructure.^[3][7]

The agency's mandate was broadened in 2016 to include all renewable energy technologies.^[5] This institutional change reflected a wider energy policy that combined solar, wind and hydropower development within a single framework.

The Noor programme, led by Masen, sought to develop a minimum solar capacity of 2,000 MW by 2020, equivalent to around 14 per cent of Morocco's installed electricity capacity according to programme targets at the time.^[8] Contemporary estimates suggested that the programme would require more than US$9 billion in investment and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.7 million tonnes.^[9][10]

The first large-scale Noor complex was developed near Ouarzazate and combined several power plants with a total capacity of more than 580 MW.^[11] Its components included:

• Noor Ouarzazate I (160 MW), a concentrating solar power plant using parabolic trough technology, inaugurated in February 2016;^[12]
• Noor Ouarzazate II (200 MW), a concentrating solar power plant using parabolic trough technology;^[3]
• Noor Ouarzazate III (150 MW), a concentrating solar power tower plant;^[3]
• Noor Ouarzazate IV (72 MW), a photovoltaic solar power plant for which a call for proposals was issued in 2015.^[13]

Additional sites were identified for integrated solar projects, including Laâyoune, Boujdour, Midelt and Tafilalet.^[14]

Masen's activities were later extended to wind power as part of the broader renewable energy strategy.^[5] By the mid-2010s, wind farms had been developed in several locations, including Tarfaya, Essaouira, Laâyoune, Tetouan, Tangier, Ksar Sghir, Akhfennir, Taza, Midelt, Oualidia and Boujdour.^{[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]}

The national wind energy strategy targeted 2,000 MW by 2020 and projected annual savings of 1.5 million toe, corresponding to 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂.^[25] By the end of 2016, installed wind capacity stood at 895 MW.^[26]

Morocco has 148 dams across the country. Installed hydropower capacity stood at 1,770 MW, with a target of 2,000 MW by 2020.^[27]

• Energy in Morocco
• Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex
• Renewable energy in Morocco