TEHRAN - The capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants has reached 900 megawatts (MW), IRNA quoted Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian as saying on Thursday.

“Currently, 900 megawatts of electricity is generated from renewable power plants in the country, most of which are solar power plants,” Ardakanian said in an inauguration ceremony of a power plant in Mazandaran province, northern Iran.

“Relying on renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels for electricity generation has been one of the government's major goals and it is being pursued seriously,” the official stressed.

Iran’s renewable power generation capacity reached 840 MW in October 2019.

Speaking in the opening ceremony of Iran’s 4th Renewable Energy Conference in mid-October 2019, Homayoun Haeri, the deputy minister of energy for electricity affairs, announced that the country’s renewable electricity generation capacity is planned to rise to 1000 MW by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (March 19, 2020).

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

Overall, in the next five 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.

Currently over 100 large-scale renewable power plants are operating across Iran.

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 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.

EF/MA