MOROCCAN AGENCY FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SA

Their core work

MASEN is Morocco's national agency responsible for developing, financing, and managing large-scale renewable energy projects, most notably the Noor-Ouarzazate solar complex — one of the world's largest concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. In H2020 projects, MASEN contributes real-world operational experience from managing utility-scale solar installations in arid, high-irradiance environments. Their participation spans CSP thermal storage, photovoltaic cost reduction, and industrial waste-to-energy valorization, providing partners with access to North African test sites and deployment conditions that are hard to replicate in Europe.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

MASEN's early H2020 participation (2015-2016) covered broader energy topics including industrial waste valorization (RESLAG) and water management for CSP (WASCOP), reflecting their role as a general renewable energy deployment agency. From 2018 onward, their focus sharpened toward advanced solar technologies — first PV module optimization and power electronics (SUPER PV), then next-generation sCO2 power cycles and molten salt storage (SOLARSCO2OL). The trajectory shows a clear shift from operational CSP challenges toward next-generation solar thermal and PV technologies aimed at driving down the levelized cost of energy.

MASEN is moving toward next-generation CSP architectures (supercritical CO2, molten salt storage) and PV cost optimization, positioning itself as a testing ground for technologies that must prove themselves in extreme solar conditions.

How they like to work

MASEN participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as an end-user and demonstration site provider rather than a research leader. With 79 unique partners across 18 countries from just 4 projects, they consistently join large, multi-national consortia (averaging ~20 partners per project). This suggests they are sought after for their real-world infrastructure and deployment environment rather than for academic research output.

MASEN has built connections with 79 partners across 18 countries through just 4 projects, indicating participation in large European-led consortia. As a Moroccan agency, they bridge EU research networks with North African deployment realities — a geographically distinctive position.

What sets them apart

MASEN offers something most European solar energy partners cannot: operational experience running utility-scale CSP and PV plants in one of the world's highest-irradiance regions, with the associated challenges of extreme heat, water scarcity, and dust. For any consortium needing a real-world validation site outside European conditions, MASEN provides both the infrastructure and the institutional mandate. Their status as a national energy agency also means they can facilitate regulatory and deployment pathways in Morocco and the broader MENA region.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SOLARSCO2OL
  Their most recent and longest-running project (2020-2026), focused on next-generation sCO2 solar plants — signals MASEN's strategic direction toward advanced CSP architectures.
• WASCOP
  Largest EC contribution to MASEN (EUR 322,116) and directly addresses CSP water consumption — a critical operational constraint in their North African deployment context.
• RESLAG
  An unexpected cross-sector project linking steel waste with energy, showing MASEN's willingness to engage in circular economy applications beyond pure renewables.