Morocco and Switzerland are moving into the implementation phase of a major climate cooperation initiative: the Solar Rooftop 500 (SR500) program, set to begin in January 2026.
The program aims to deploy 500 megawatts (MW) of grid‑connected rooftop solar capacity across commercial and industrial buildings in Morocco by 2030.
SR500 was officially launched on December 12, 2025, and now awaits final technical agreements between the program manager and local banks that will distribute dedicated financing to participating companies.
Under the terms, Swiss climate finance will underwrite the installations, and the resulting emissions reductions will be counted toward Switzerland’s nationally determined contribution under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, a cooperation pathway for internationally transferred mitigation outcomes.
The program positions Morocco as a pioneer under Article 6.2: the third country globally to implement such a mechanism, second in Africa, and first in the MENA region.
This status underscores Morocco’s increasing integration in structured international climate cooperation.
What the Program Entails
SR500 targets 500 MW of installed rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems by 2030. These will be small‑scale commercial and industrial projects each below 3 MW, connected to the national grid, and located on rooftops rather than ground‑mounted sites.
At scale, this translates into hundreds of distributed installations nationwide, forming a standardized solar segment that sits alongside larger utility plants.
The financing framework is anchored in a $500 million (MAD 5 billion) envelope from Fondation KliK, the Swiss climate foundation. Moroccan banks will on‑lend these funds to eligible companies.
A carbon premium, tied to the value of avoided greenhouse gas emissions, may cover up to 25 % of installation costs, improving affordability, particularly for small and medium‑sized enterprises.
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Eligible installations must be new, rooftop‑based, grid‑connected, and under 3 MW. Participating companies must own the PV systems, receive no duplicate incentives, and agree to assign the emissions reductions to SR500.
Strict technical, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) criteria govern the program to ensure transparency and independent verification. Implementation and MRV oversight are managed by AfricaClimate Solutions.
Economic and Strategic Impact
Beyond its climate signal, SR500 is expected to deliver measurable economic relief for participating businesses. Local reporting indicates the program could generate approximately 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in installation, operations and maintenance.
Rooftop solar is projected to cut electricity bills by 25 %–40 % for participating firms, easing operating costs, a meaningful advantage in energy‑intensive sectors. Savings on power bills can improve profitability and investment capacity, particularly in an era of rising global energy costs.
Fit with Morocco’s National Energy Strategy
SR500 aligns with Morocco’s broader renewable energy strategy, which targets more than 52 % of installed capacity from renewables by 2030, a goal reflected in national policy and reinforced in recent finance bills.
As of mid‑2025, renewables accounted for over 45 % of installed capacity, with solar, wind and hydropower making up significant shares of the mix.
The emphasis on rooftop solar complements utility‑scale projects and reflects a strategic shift toward decentralised generation that can improve grid resilience and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, which still underpin much of Morocco’s power system.
Distributed rooftop solar lifts load off the grid during peak hours and shares generation closer to demand, reducing transmission pressure and stabilizing local electricity supply.
By leveraging long‑term climate finance and a carbon premium, SR500 lowers the risk profile of solar for business owners, a departure from energy models that rely on high cost conventional power or wholesale procurement.
Lower energy bills can enhance margins and productivity, especially for energy‑intensive sectors sensitive to price volatility.
SR500 demonstrates how climate cooperation mechanisms under the Paris Agreement can translate into real, measurable domestic energy infrastructure while delivering mitigation outcomes for sponsoring countries.
Morocco’s solar rooftop rollout is not a peripheral program. It sits at the intersection of climate cooperation, national energy strategy, and private sector cost structures and by 2030, the SR500 framework could become a defining case of how decentralised solar deployment can integrate climate finance with economic outcomes in emerging markets.
By Thuita Gatero, Managing Editor, Africa Digest News. He specializes in conversations around data centers, AI, cloud infrastructure, and energy.
