The Kingdom of Morocco is continuing its energy transformation efforts with the stated ambition of strengthening its energy sovereignty, attracting more investment, and supporting job creation.
Speaking Tuesday before the House of Councillors, the upper house of parliament, the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, stated that during the first quarter of 2026, several energy projects with a total capacity of nearly 3,000 megawatts were authorized in Morocco, representing investments estimated at almost 22 billion dirhams (about €2 billion).
She indicated that these projects represent “nearly a third of Morocco’s current installed capacity,” considering the first quarter of 2026 to be “the second turning point in terms of investment and authorizations.”
Benali noted that the ministry has authorized approximately 66 renewable energy projects since 2021, representing a total capacity of 6 gigawatts and investments exceeding 55 billion dirhams, compared to only 23 authorizations between 2011 and 2021.
According to the minister, the rate of granting authorizations is now eight times higher than before 2021.
She further explained that the share of renewable energy has increased from 37% in 2021 to 46% in 2025, a rise of nine percentage points in four years, noting that this proportion remains “well below the actual share,” considering the figures for imported solar panels and the efforts deployed in the area of self-generation.
For the minister, supporting investment in the energy sector is a lever for job creation and strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy, while also addressing the challenge of energy sovereignty.
She stated that the institutional, legislative, and regulatory reforms undertaken by the government aim to address the internal and external constraints facing this project.
In this context, Ms. Benali indicated that Law 82.21 concerning self-generation of electricity paves the way for citizens and businesses to produce clean electricity for their own consumption, while Law 40.19 concerning renewable energies has simplified procedures and enabled the construction of electricity storage facilities for the first time.
The minister also mentioned the development of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water’s (ONEE) electricity infrastructure plan for the period 2025-2030, a “green plan” for which 120 billion dirhams have been allocated for investment.
This plan provides for an additional capacity of 15 gigawatts, of which more than 12 gigawatts will come from renewable sources, representing 88% of the new capacity, she indicated. Regarding the petroleum products sector, she stated that the ministry has continued implementing reforms aimed at strengthening investment and competition through the simplification and digitization of administrative procedures.
She noted that over 800 service stations have been established thanks to investments totaling nearly 2.5 billion dirhams, generating over 4,000 jobs.
The minister added that the government has undertaken, among other reforms, a reform of the National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, with the goal of drafting a bill regulating the natural gas sector, which has been submitted to the General Secretariat of the Government.
AK/Sf/fss/gik/APA