TEHRAN- Iran’s Energy Ministry issued permits for the construction of solar farms with the capacity of four gigawatts (GW) across the country, Fars news agency reported.

The ministry’s Renewables Department has announced that building the mentioned solar farms will become operational within the next two years.

It said that the permits were issued after the government committed to provide the considerable financial resources required for construction of the solar farms.  

"The new plants are part of a 10-GW new renewables capacity that the Iranian government aims to develop until 2025," the energy ministry added.

Earlier this month, Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian said that the country’s installed capacity of solar farms stands at nearly 900 megawatts (MW).

Highlighting that many good strides have been taken in this field in the country over the recent years, the minister said that the significant increase in the capacity of the country’s power plants, which is the result of the efforts of domestic experts, can meet all the electricity needs of the country, while boosting Iran’s electricity export.

The share of solar power plants in Iran’s renewable electricity generation capacity has reached 49 percent, according to the data released by Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (known as SATBA).

Renewables, including hydropower, account for seven percent of Iran’s total energy generation, versus natural gas’s 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, 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,” the minister said.

Back in December 2020, Mohammad Satakin, who heads Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA), 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).

MA/MA