10 MW Solar Power Plant Opens in Iran's Fars Province

EghtesadOnline: A 10 megawatt solar power plant opened in Abadeh County in southern Fars Province on Sunday.

News ID: ۷۴۷۱۸۲

29 April 2019

A private sector initiative, the plant is one of the largest of its kind in the south and cost $3.5 million, the public relations office of the Renewable and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) reported.

A key feature of the plant is that it was fully designed by Iranian engineers and constructed with indigenized technology and locally-made panels.

Large swathes of the province are suitable for producing renewables, particularly for setting up solar farms, Financial Tribune reported.

Last year the first major photovoltaic power station in the province, with the capacity of 10 MW, came on stream in Kharameh County.

Iran meets more than 80% of its electricity demand from thermal power plants that run on fossil fuels. Of the total 81,000 MW production capacity, only 1,000 MW comes from renewables.

However, the nation is taking effective measures to boost green energy and one of the goals of the Energy Ministry is to move toward non-fossil fuels and renewables.

The number of private companies producing electricity from renewable sources — mainly wind and solar — has shot up from three to over 500 over five years.

According to SATBA, plans are in place to add 5,000 MW to renewable capacity by 2022.

Close to 3.11 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was generated from alternative energy sources in ten years, reducing water and fossil fuel consumption.

This volume of clean energy was produced from June 2009 to April 2019 and helped cut 2.78 million tons of greenhouse gases and 855 million cubic meters of natural gas. It also saved 663 million liters of water.

One hundred plants produce renewable energy in Iran, 43% of which are solar, 41% wind-powered, 13% hydropower, 2% from heat recovery and 1% biomass.