TEHRAN - The latest official figures show that Iran’s renewable electricity production reached 1.186 gigawatts in April.

According to the figures released by the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization – an affiliate of the Energy Ministry -- solar power plants had the lion –share in the total renewable capacity during the aforementioned period.

Solar power plants accounted for 58% of renewable electricity production and were followed by wind farms that represented 31% of the total capacity.  

Small hydropower plants and biomass plants stood next, as they accounted for 9% and 1% of the total renewable capacity respectively in April.

The current Iranian government is working on plans to increase the country’s renewable capacity and aims to reach a target of 10,000 MW.

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

Iranian Energy Ministry plans to add 10,000 MW to the capacity of the country’s renewable power plants by the end of the current government’s administration (within the next 1.5 years).

Last year, the ministry and some of the country’s private contractors signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the construction of the mentioned renewable power plants across Iran.

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

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

Based on Iran’s Sixth Five-Year National Development Plan (2016-2021), the country was aiming for a 5,000 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 less than 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 the efficiency of the thermal power plants.

EF/