Taking the case of Morocco, this paper aims to explore the challenges to system-building initiatives for the development of the solar energy sector. Drawing on innovation systems literature, the author examine factors that contribute to the emergence of a solar energy sector and delve into how complex governance dynamics affect such developments in Morocco. Aside from low capabilities and knowledge on solar energy technologies, a key challenge to the development of an innovation system in Morocco is the lack of a strategic approach that not only engages all relevant stakeholders but also integrates diverse objectives. The role played by the state (and its supported institutions) in the society and its participation in the economy is likely to explain why these processes are slow to prevail.
