INSTITUT DE RECHERCHES EN ENERGIE SOLAIRE ET ENERGIES NOUVELLES

Their core work

IRESEN is Morocco's applied research institute dedicated to solar energy and renewable energy technologies, based in Rabat. They specialize in concentrated solar power (CSP) plant optimization — improving electrical efficiency, reducing water consumption, and enhancing cost-effectiveness of solar thermal systems. More recently, they have expanded into digitalization of energy systems and long-term EU-Africa renewable energy partnerships, positioning themselves as a key bridge between European research and North African deployment contexts.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IRESEN's early H2020 work (2015-2018) was deeply technical and focused on CSP hardware — improving plant efficiency, reducing water consumption in arid environments, and integrating thermal storage via Organic Rankine Cycles. From 2020 onward, their focus shifted toward systemic and strategic topics: digitalization of energy networks and long-term EU-Africa renewable energy partnerships. This suggests a move from component-level R&D toward energy system integration and international coordination roles.

IRESEN is evolving from a CSP hardware specialist into a broader renewable energy systems integrator with a strategic EU-Africa bridging function.

How they like to work

IRESEN participates exclusively as a partner — they have not coordinated any H2020 projects, suggesting they contribute specialized expertise rather than leading consortium management. With 119 unique partners across 41 countries from just 4 projects, they operate in very large, internationally diverse consortia. This makes them an accessible and experienced partner comfortable working in complex multi-country setups, though they are unlikely to take the coordination lead.

Despite only 4 projects, IRESEN has built an exceptionally wide network of 119 partners spanning 41 countries — driven largely by the massive LEAP-RE EU-Africa partnership. Their reach extends well beyond North Africa into pan-European and pan-African research communities.

What sets them apart

IRESEN is one of very few North African research institutes active in H2020 renewable energy projects, giving them a rare perspective on deploying European solar technologies in high-irradiance, water-scarce environments. Their location in Morocco — a country with ambitious solar plans including the Noor-Ouarzazate complex — makes them a natural testbed partner for CSP and renewable technologies designed for arid climates. For any consortium needing a credible African research partner with real solar energy infrastructure access, IRESEN is a strong candidate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ORC-PLUS
  Largest single EC contribution to IRESEN (EUR 725,238), focused on prototype-level Organic Rankine Cycle technology linked to CSP storage — their most technically intensive project.
• LEAP-RE
  A flagship EU-Africa renewable energy partnership running until 2026, connecting IRESEN to a vast international network despite a modest direct budget of EUR 34,570.
• MinWaterCSP
  Directly addresses a critical real-world problem — water scarcity in CSP operations — highly relevant to Morocco's desert solar deployments.