Based on Iran’s Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (2016-2021), the country was aiming for 5,000 megawatts (MW) increase in renewable capacity to meet growing domestic demand and expand its presence in the regional electricity market.

But in the final year of the plan, only one-fifth of the figure has been achieved.

Iran was supposed to become a regional hub in the field of energy in the past Iranian calendar decade (March 2011-March 2021), but evidence shows that the country is facing a shortage even in the supply of electricity inside the country, an issue that many believe that could be achieved by developing renewable energy and increasing efficiency of the thermal power plants.

After the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known commonly as the Iran nuclear deal, in July 2015, many foreign delegations came to Iran for making investment and constructing renewable power plants in the country.

One of the major projects implemented in this due was a solar farm with a generation capacity of 20 megawatts which was inaugurated in the southern Kerman province in July 2017.

In the inauguration ceremony of the mentioned solar farm, the ground was also broken for another solar farm with 100 MW capacity, when Iran took a big step toward harnessing renewable energies.

Covering 44 hectares of land, the farm includes 76,912 solar panels, each having a generation capacity of 260 watts of electricity.

The project to build this farm was jointly implemented by Iran’s Mokran Solar Energy Company, as the general contractor, Germany’s ADORE GmbH Company, as the program manager, and Switzerland’s DURION AG Company, as the main investor that invested $27 million.

According to the data provided by Mokran Company, it was the largest solar farm in Iran.

With the non-implementation of the JCPOA, and re-imposition of the sanctions, the presence of foreign companies in Iran diminished and since then, the pace of development of renewable energy in the country has been significantly slowed down.

While Iran enjoys some proper condition for the development of renewable energies, unfortunately the country’s lagging behind its plan in this due.

Lamenting this situation, the vice chairman of Iran Electrical Industry Syndicate (IEIS) told IRIB on Wednesday that there is only 800 MW installed capacity of the renewable power plants in the country.

Noting that the uneven economy of the electricity industry has hindered development in this sector, Payam Baqeri said: “Lack of financial resources and problems that we put in the way of investors are two important factors preventing the development of renewable energy and reducing the acceptance for investment in this sector.”

Releasing of resources and sustainable income in the electricity industry will greatly contribute to the development of power plant capacities, he said, adding, “According to the plans, we should have up to 100,000 MW of installed power plants in the country this year, but the limitations in financial resources have led to a decrease in investment and a shortage of 15,000 MW of electricity compared to the needs in the country”.

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Electricity generation from renewables in the said month led to economizing on the consumption of natural gas by 40 million cubic meters while saving 31 million liters of water and also prevented the emission of 91,000 tons of Green House Gases (GHG).

Iranian households and small businesses have been welcoming renewable energies over the past few years, so that according to the Energy Ministry data, by the end of the mentioned month over 5,012 wind and solar units with a total capacity of 69,320 kilowatts have been put into operation by consumers all around the country.

The capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants currently exceeds 920 megawatts (MW) of which solar power plants with 452.75 MW have the biggest share.

Wind power plants with 317 MW of energy production stand in second place, followed by small hydropower plants with a generation of 105.65 MW.

Renewables, including hydropower, account for about seven percent of the country’s total energy generation, versus natural gas’ 90 percent share.

Overall, in the next four years, Iran is aiming for a 5,000 MW increase in renewable capacity to meet growing domestic demand and expand its presence in the regional electricity market.

According to Iran’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (known as SATBA), the number of small-scale solar power plants across the country which are used by households or small industries is increasing noticeably as Iranian households and small industries are embracing the new technology with open arms and investors also seem eager for more contribution in this area.

Iran is also planning on expanding its presence in the region’s renewable energy market.

According to the Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, the country has great potentials in the field of renewable energies and can have a significant role in developing the region’s market for such energies.

“Relying on the high potential of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, etc., the Energy Ministry has planned good measures in order to implement new policies for creating positive changes in the development of the country’s renewable energy sector,” Ardakanian has said.

Back in December 2020, SATBA Head Mohammad Satakin said the capacity of the country’s renewable power plants was going to reach 1,000 MW (one gigawatt) by the end of the current government’s incumbency (August 2021).

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Electricity generation from renewables in the said month led to economizing on the consumption of natural gas by 25 million cubic meters while saving 19 million liters of water and also prevented the emission of 57,000 tons of Green House Gases (GHG).

The capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants reached 920.260 megawatts (MW) in the mentioned month, of which solar power plants with 452.75 MW had the biggest share.

Wind power plants with 317 MW of energy production stood in second place, followed by small hydropower plants with a generation of 105.65 MW.

Renewables, including hydropower, account for about seven percent of the country’s total energy generation, versus natural gas’ 90 percent share.

Overall, in the next four years, Iran is aiming for a 5,000 MW increase in renewable capacity to meet growing domestic demand and expand its presence in the regional electricity market.

According to SATBA, the number of small-scale solar power plants across the country which are used by households or small industries is also increasing noticeably as Iranian households and small industries are embracing the new technology with open arms and investors also seem eager for more contribution in this area.

Iran is also planning on expanding its presence in the region’s renewable energy market.

According to the Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, the country has great potentials in the field of renewable energies and can have a significant role in developing the region’s market for such energies.

“Relying on the high potential of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, etc., the Energy Ministry has planned good measures in order to implement new policies for creating positive changes in the development of the country’s renewable energy sector,” Ardakanian has said.

Back in December 2020, SATBA Head Mohammad Satakin said the capacity of the country’s renewable power plants was going to reach 1,000 MW (one gigawatt) by the end of the current government’s incumbency (August 2021).

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