Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies

What Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies does

IRESEN (Institut de Recherche en Énergie Solaire et Énergies Nouvelles) is a publicly funded Moroccan research institute established in 2011 at the initiative of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Environment, with headquarters in Rabat and a primary R&D campus at Benguerir. The institute operates through two instruments: a network of five shared research platforms (Green Energy Park for solar PV and concentrated solar thermal; Green & Smart Building Park for green buildings, smart grids, and mobility; GreenH2A for green hydrogen and Power-to-X; Agro Energy TIC Valley for biomass; and Water Energy Nexus for desalination) and the Agence de Moyens, a competitive funding agency that runs project calls to support collaborative R&D between academic and industrial partners. Across its history, IRESEN has mobilized 520 MMAD in project funding, supported 800+ researchers, registered 32 patents, and funded 60+ collaborative projects through 18 national laboratories.

IRESEN does not sell products or services commercially. Its revenue model is institutional: annual government allocations supplemented by international development grants (e.g., EUR 800,000 from AFD in 2024), bilateral co-financing programs (e.g., CDTI Spain's nearly EUR 500,000 in 2025), and corporate co-investment (notably from OCP Group for the GreenH2A platform). Its "customers" are researchers, startups, SMEs, and industrial companies who access its funding through competitive calls (project funding caps of 1-3 million MAD), and academic/industrial partners who access shared infrastructure through collaboration agreements. A handful of commercially oriented products have emerged from the platforms, including the iSmart EV charging station (7-22kW, 100% Moroccan-made), Lisol (intelligent energy management), and EVPlan (GIS for EV infrastructure planning), but these are not the primary revenue drivers.

IRESEN's primary strategic value is as a national bridge between applied research and industrial deployment in clean technology, supporting Morocco's energy transition strategy across solar, green hydrogen, electric mobility, and energy efficiency. The institute is governed as a non-profit under Moroccan law, was the first ISO 9001-certified funding agency in Africa (2014), and extended that certification to all activities in 2025.

Name

Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies

Legal name

Institut de Recherche en Énergie Solaire et Énergies Nouvelles

Website

https://iresen.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

IRESEN is a Moroccan public research institute founded in 2011 that funds and runs shared R&D platforms across solar, green hydrogen, smart grids, and energy efficiency, serving researchers, startups, and industrial partners in support of national energy transition strategy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Energy Research and Innovation

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation (22111), Electric Lighting Equipment Manufacturing (33513)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEUAMABAB

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Hydro & Geothermal)/Solar Energy (PV, CSP, Rooftop & Utility-Scale)

SECONDARYEDALAKAI

EV Charging Infrastructure & Management

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Transportation, Parking & Mobility Services

Keywords

• Clean energy research
• Green technology innovation
• Solar energy R&D
• Renewable energy platforms
• Project funding services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rabat

HQ country

Morocco

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Institutional Grants and Government Funding: IRESEN operates as a publicly funded research institute, supported by government ministries, public funds, and bilateral/international development aid. The institute receives institutional funding to operate its Agence de Moyens and research platforms. Revenue is deployed to fund collaborative R&D projects rather than retained as commercial profit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IRESEN is a public research institute that operates shared R&D infrastructure platforms (Green Energy Park, Green & Smart Building Park, GreenH2A, Agro Energy TIC Valley, Water Energy Nexus) and a project funding agency (Agence de Moyens) supporting collaborative applied research in solar energy, green hydrogen, smart grids, energy storage, electric mobility, green buildings, and biomass. It funds and accompanies researchers, doctoral students, startups, SMEs, and industrial partners from project inception through industrialization, while also commercializing proprietary products such as the iSmart Moroccan-made EV charging station.

Product overview

IRESEN offers a platform-based ecosystem combining research infrastructure and funding services. The core infrastructure consists of five specialized research platforms: Green Energy Park (photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal), Green & Smart Building Park (buildings and smart grids), Green H2A (green hydrogen and Power-to-X), Agro Energy TIC Valley (biomass and agriculture-energy nexus), and Water Energy Nexus (desalination). These are complemented by the Agence de Moyens funding service that provides financial support and project accompaniment through regular innovation calls. Key products include the iSmart EV charging station (7-22KW, 100% Moroccan-made), Lisol (intelligent energy management), and EVPlan (GIS planning tool). The IBTIKAR AL OMRANE program provides specialized innovation financing for sustainable construction up to 1.5 million dirhams. The network also encompasses 14 national laboratories distributed across Moroccan universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Green Energy Park: Solar energy research and innovation platform focused on photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal technologies
• Green & Smart Building Park
• Green H2A
• Agro Energy TIC Valley
• Water Energy Nexus
• iSmart
• Lisol
• EVPlan

Products and services

• Agence de Moyens (Means Agency) Funding and accompaniment service for collaborative research and innovation projects in green technologies. Provides financial support (e.g., Ibtikar Al Omrane up to 1.5 MMAD, InnoEspa-Morocco 3 MMAD), technical expertise, and access to shared infrastructure. Targeted at researchers, doctoral students, startups, SMEs, and industrial partners.
• Green Energy Park (GEP) Shared R&D platform co-located with UM6P in Benguerir, providing laboratories, prototyping, and testing facilities for photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal research. Available to academic researchers and industrial partners through collaborative agreements.
• Green H2A Platform Pre-industrial R&D platform for green hydrogen and Power-to-X, including a 4 tonne/day green ammonia pilot with 4 MW electrolysis (2 MW PEM + 2 MW alkaline). Africa-first platform of its kind, co-developed with UM6P and OCP Group.
• Green & Smart Building Park (GSBP) Platform for green buildings, energy efficiency, smart grids, and sustainable mobility research and pilot projects, co-located with UM6P in Benguerir. Available to academic researchers and industrial partners.
• Agro Energy TIC Valley Platform dedicated to biomass and energy-agriculture nexus research, supporting bioenergy and agritech innovation projects.
• Water Energy Nexus Platform for water desalination and treatment technologies, with an energy-water nexus focus to support research and pilot projects.
• iSmart EV Charging Station 100% Moroccan-designed and manufactured electric vehicle charging station with power ranging from 7 kW to 22 kW, including data collection for environmental monitoring. Targeted at professional and domestic EV charging use.
• Lisol Intelligent solution for energy production, storage, and management, designed for building and grid applications.
• EVPlan GIS platform for planning and mapping electric vehicle charging infrastructure, supporting deployment decisions by public and private actors.
• IBTIKAR AL OMRANE Innovation Program National innovation funding program in partnership with Al Omrane Group supporting sustainable construction and urban development. Provides financing up to 1.5 MMAD over two phases to startups, TPE/PME, researchers, and project promoters.
• National Network of Green Innovation Laboratories Network of 18 specialized laboratories across Moroccan universities covering power electronics, battery testing, nanoparticles, phase change materials, concentrated photovoltaics, smart grids, methanization, solar thermal, thermal storage, nanolubricants, electric mobility, and solar energy.

Quantifiable outcome

• 800+ researchers supported across funded projects and platforms
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• SATT Paris-SaclaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 July 2024IRESEN signed a trilateral convention with SATT Paris-Saclay and AFD on July 4, 2024, in Rabat. Supported by an €800,000 donation from AFD, the partnership aims to launch a call for projects in decarbonized hydrogen in Q4 2024. The collaboration involves technology transfer and best practice exchanges in valorization and technology transfer.
• Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (UM6P)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2021IRESEN and UM6P signed a framework cooperation agreement to establish the GreenH2A technology platform dedicated to R&D and innovation in green hydrogen and Power-to-X. IRESEN-UM6P jointly operate Green Energy Park and Green & Smart Building Park research platforms in Benguerir. UM6P provides academic expertise and campus facilities alongside IRESEN's infrastructure.
• Groupe OCPcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2021IRESEN, UM6P, and OCP Group signed a framework cooperation agreement to establish the GreenH2A platform at OCP's Jorf Lasfar industrial site. The first project is a pre-industrial pilot for 4 tonnes/day of green ammonia with 4MW electrolysis capacity (2MW PEM + 2MW alkaline). OCP provides industrial site (5 hectares at Jorf Lasfar) and co-investment.
• GreenH2 Cluster (GreenH2 Maroc)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2021IRESEN was a founding member of GreenH2, Africa's first national green hydrogen cluster, established in March 2021 under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Industry. The cluster aims to position Morocco as a regional leader in green hydrogen production and export, bringing together industries, universities, and research centers including IRESEN's technology platforms.
• Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) / U.S. Department of EnergymajorTechnology or IntegrationA delegation from Argonne National Laboratory and the U.S. DOE visited IRESEN in June 2024 to explore potential collaborations in green hydrogen and smart grid technologies. Discussions focused on combining ANL's technical expertise with IRESEN's Green & Smart Building Park infrastructure.
• Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI)majorTechnology or IntegrationAs part of the ODA Task Project, KETI and IRESEN launched a Korea Morocco Solar Energy Tour involving 19 Moroccan solar sector representatives visiting Korean solar companies and institutions. The partnership has expanded to include green hydrogen, mobility, energy storage, and water desalination.
• Korea Testing & Certification Institute (KTC)majorTechnology or IntegrationKTC collaborates with IRESEN through the ODA Task Project for solar energy cooperation between Korea and Morocco, assessing progress with Moroccan companies and exploring new partnerships in green hydrogen and related technologies.
• École Supérieure de Technologie de Laâyoune (ESTL) / Université Ibn ZohrminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRESEN signed a convention with ESTL Laâyoune and Université Ibn Zohr to support a professional license in Renewable Energies and Water Desalination, providing hands-on training at IRESEN's research platforms in Benguerir.
• Université Moulay Ismail de MeknèsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRESEN partnered with Université Moulay Ismail in March 2021 to support the Solar-Ution team representing Morocco at the Solar Decathlon Middle East in Dubai. The partnership involved joint support for multidisciplinary student teams designing sustainable solar-powered housing.
• Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and EnergymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRESEN participates in the ODA Task Project (Korea Morocco Solar Energy Tour) involving Korean government ministries, industry, and research institutions for bilateral solar and green hydrogen cooperation.
• Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) MoroccominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRESEN welcomed GGGI Morocco representatives to explore collaboration opportunities in green growth and sustainable energy development.
• MED-GEM Network (EU-funded)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MED-GEM Network, funded by the European Union, is supporting IRESEN's Green Hydrogen Summer School and Hackathon, offering winning team a study trip to Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) in Germany.
• World Power-to-X Summit PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRESEN organizes the annual World Power-to-X Summit, hosting international green hydrogen and PtX stakeholders including Hydrogen Europe, Green Hydrogen Organisation (GH2), and major corporations. The summit features panel discussions, masterclasses, and partnership signing ceremonies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology): Saudi Arabia's flagship research university with major solar, hydrogen, and clean energy research programs. Regional peer given both countries' MENA positioning, sovereign-backed R&D funding, and focus on deploying solar resources at scale.

Others

• ONEE (Office National de l'Électricité et de l'Eau Potable): Morocco's national electricity and water utility, a major stakeholder in Morocco's renewable energy transition. Comparable as a state-owned energy organization that interfaces with IRESEN's research outputs and could be a downstream deployment partner for IRESEN-developed technologies.
• IRENA (International Renewable Energy Agency): Intergovernmental organization supporting renewable energy adoption globally, with cooperation agreements including Moroccan institutions. Relevant as an ecosystem participant given IRESEN's role in continental renewable R&D and Morocco's hosting of IRENA events.

Direct peers

• Um6p - Mohammed VI Polytechnic University: Morocco's leading research-intensive university and IRESEN's primary academic partner, jointly operating Green Energy Park, Green & Smart Building Park, and GreenH2A. Major peer because of shared institutional infrastructure, co-funded research programs, and overlapping talent pipeline.
• INES (Institut National de l'Énergie Solaire): France's national solar energy institute, part of CEA, focused on PV, solar thermal, smart grids, and energy storage R&D. Sister institute to IRESEN with a similar national-mandate research platform model and partnerships with industrial players.
• Fraunhofer ISE: Germany's leading solar energy research institute, operating applied research laboratories across PV, CSP, hydrogen, and energy systems. Direct peer in solar research infrastructure and industry-academia collaboration model, with a comparable multi-platform structure and funding-agency relationships.
• MASEN (Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy): Morocco's national agency for renewable energy implementation, operating the Noor solar complex and driving the country's renewable strategy. Direct peer because it is a Morocco-based government-initiated organization executing the same national energy transition mandate as IRESEN, with overlapping mandates in solar deployment and policy support.
• GreenH2 Cluster (Morocco): Africa's first national green hydrogen cluster, of which IRESEN is a founding member. Direct peer because it is a closely related ecosystem-building organization in green hydrogen with overlapping institutional partners (Ministry of Energy, OCP, UM6P).

Broad incumbents

• NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory): US Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency R&D. Functions as a national public research institute with similar platform-and-funding model, but operates at vastly larger scale and across a broader mandate than IRESEN.
• TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research): Dutch applied research organization operating across energy, mobility, and built environment. Comparable to IRESEN in operating platform infrastructure with public funding and industry partnerships, but at much larger scale and broader thematic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IRESEN
• Xx.com/IRESEN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iresen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies