TEHRAN – The Iranian government has urged all its executive bodies to take the necessary measures to supply 20 percent of their electricity needs through renewable sources within the next four years, the portal of Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) announced.

As reported, all executive bodies subject to Article (5) of the Civil Service Law are required to supply five percent of their electricity consumption through renewable and clean energy sources as of the beginning of the next Iranian calendar year (March 21) and increase it to 20 percent (five percent per year) over four years.

In case of not following the mentioned decree, the excess energy consumed by the entities will be calculated in their electricity bill based on the maximum electricity rate at the Green Electricity Board of the Iran Energy Exchange in the month before the billing.

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

Earlier this month, Iranian Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian said that his ministry is following good plans for developing the country’s renewable power plants.

Mentioning a plan for the construction of new renewable power plants across the country, the energy minister said: “The construction of more than 10,000 megawatts (MW) of power plants has been started, and one is being put into operation every day,”

Mehrabian said the ministry is also implementing new programs to expand the country’s power grid to be able to cover the new power plants.

In late December, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi ordered the beginning of a project for the construction of solar power plants with a capacity of 4,000 MW across the country.

EF/MA