TEHRAN – The capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants has increased by 0.9 percent in the last month of the past Iranian calendar year (ended on March 20).

As reported, the total capacity of the country's renewable power plants reached 1,038.03 megawatts (MW) by March 20.

The total capacity of the country’s wind power plants stood at 354.89 MW, while the solar farms’ capacity reached 449.55 MW.

Hydroelectric power plants also reached the capacity of 100.78 MW by March 20, while the capacity of biomass power plants stood at 12.5 MW.

Iranian Energy Ministry has put it on the agenda to add 10,000 MW to the capacity of the country’s renewable power plants by the end of the current government’s administration (August 2025).

Considering the fact that the country’s renewable power generation capacity stood at about 800 MW when the current government took office in August 2021, the mentioned increase in renewable energy capacity would mean a 13-fold rise.

Back in January 2022, the Energy Ministry and some of the country’s private contractors signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the construction of new renewable power plants across the country.

Two weeks ago, the head of Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) announced the construction of 110,000 solar power plants with a capacity of five kilowatts (KW) for low-income groups in the current Iranian calendar year (began on March 21).

Mahmoud Kamani also announced that the tender for the construction of solar power plants with a capacity of 2,200 megawatts, left over from the plan for the construction of solar power plants with 4,000 megawatts capacity in the past year, will be also held this year.

Regarding the follow-up of the construction of renewable power plants in the new year, the official said that a plan for the construction of renewable power plants was announced by the minister of energy at the beginning of the 13th government, and in 1401 (past Iranian year), the necessary preparations for the implementation of this plan have been followed up and some measures have been taken in this due.

In early February, the official announced that the capacity of Iran's renewable power plants reached 1,020 megawatts (MW) with the 10-MW Pasargad Solar Farm of Damghan coming into operation.

Making the remarks on the sidelines of inaugurating the mentioned solar farms in Damghan County, in central Semnan province, Kamani said: “This power plant has a special feature as it can generate electricity from the reflection of sunlight. This feature makes its generation efficiency higher, which means it will have a 40-percent increase in efficiency”.

“It is hoped that by setting up other renewable power plants, we will soon be able to implement the 10,000-MW renewable power plant program”, the head of SATBA stated.

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

MA