“The wind power plant (with 171 wind turbines) produced 86,000 megawatt hours of electricity in the period,” Azim Bolbolabadi was quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry news portal.
This volume is 80% more compared to the corresponding period in 2018 when output was 48,000 MW hours, Financial Tribune quoted him as saying.
Harnessing wind energy will help reduce dependence on fossil fuels as it cuts electricity generation from thermal power plants using natural gas and other fossil fuels (mazut), he said.
“Wind energy does not produce waste or contaminate water – a major issue given the water crisis in the country.”
The official said unlike fossil fuels and nuclear power plants, wind energy has one of the lowest water-consumption footprints, which makes it a key for conserving hydrological resources, which are depleting rapidly in Iran.
Wind power is among the most efficient technology to produce electricity in a safe and environmentally-sustainable way: it is zero emission, local, inexhaustible, competitive, and creates jobs.
More than 200 wind turbines are in operation in Gilan, Khorasan Razavi, East Azarbaijan and Qazvin provinces.
Manjil, in Gilan Province, has taken precedence over other regions as it produced more than 86,000 megawatt hours of electricity last year.
5 Main Markets
Wind energy is produced in 79 countries; 24 of them have more than 1,000 MW installed capacity each. In terms of megawatt accumulation, the five main markets are China, the US, Germany, Spain and India.
Referring to power generation in his province, Bolbolabadi said in addition to the wind power plant, nine other power stations generate 2,500 MW. A large part of power (2,000 MW) is generated in Pareh-sar and Gilan combined-cycle power stations and the rest from hydroelectric and cogeneration units.
Gilan Province's second combined heat and power plant became operational in Bandar Anzali Free Trade Zone last month.
Built at a cost of $11 million, the small-scale station with 25 MW capacity was completed in less than two years with the help from a private firm (Caspian Power Plant Generator Company).
The plant supplies Anzali FTZ with stable power and given its 55% efficiency rate it can support the Rasht electricity power grid during peak demand, he added.
Gilan lies along the Caspian Sea in north Iran. It gets the highest annual rainfall in Iran -- 4.5 times above national and 1.2 times above global average. This has helped the growth of lush greenery and dense forests that give the province a unique status and biodiversity.