Renewables Helping Cut Carbon Emissions in Iran

EghtesadOnline: The gradual expansion of renewable energy since 2009 has allowed Iran to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 2.24 million tons.

News ID: ۷۴۷۷۲۰

30 June 2019

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is among the major challenges nations big and small are grappling with to various degrees.

Greenhouse gases are capable of trapping the earth's emitted radiation, which otherwise escapes back into space. The primary greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone.

According to ISNA, over the last decade close to 3.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was generated in Iran from green sources like photovoltaic (PV) stations, Financial Tribune reported.

This amount helped the country save 716 million liters of water in 10 years.

Iran's installed power capacity is about 80,500 megawatts, of which 750 MW comes from renewable sources namely solar and wind.

According to the state-owned Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (Satba) electricity generated since 2009 has reduced reliance on fossil fuels like oil (to produce power) by 924 billion liters.

Renewable energy is the least expensive option for improving and boosting access to electricity, reducing air pollution and cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

It also contributes to sustainable socioeconomic growth, boosting global gross domestic product growth by 1%, employing close to 29 million people and generating  15% increase in welfare, mainly through health benefits from reduced air pollution, according to the latest analysis by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

An estimated 11 million people were employed in the renewable energy industry worldwide in 2018.

"Stressing that one of the best options in bridging the electricity gap is renewable energy," Mohammad Sadeqzadeh, head of Satba said, adding that although the share of renewables stands at 750 MW, measures are underway to generate ten times that amount from solar, wind, geothermal and biomass power plants over the next decade.

Reportedly, 493 MW of new solar power capacity is under construction.

According to Sadeqzadeh, over the next four years, renewable energy should account for 25% of new installed power capacity.

He says renewables can help transform unsustainable production and consumption patterns, protect biodiversity, reverse deforestation and combat land degradation.

Green sector investment in Iran is in the region of $885 million, which has created jobs for 40,000 people, he has been quoted as saying.

According to Energy Ministry data, wind and solar account for 45% and 35% of the domestic renewable power production respectively.

Small-scale hydroelectric plants, waste-to-energy plants and biomass factories constitute 16%, 2% and 2% of the total renewable output respectively.