Iran Boosts Solar Energy Capacity with 500 MW Initiative

TEHRAN (Defapress) - The ministry’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) revealed on Sunday that its experts evaluated over 200 sites across four provinces, ultimately selecting 150 projects for solar farm development.

Alireza Mahmoudpour, a senior SATBA official, explained that the assessments were carried out over five days, spanning 10,000 kilometers in Razavi Khorasan, North Khorasan, Yazd, and Fars provinces. He emphasized that the additional 500 MW capacity will play a crucial role in meeting peak electricity demand during the upcoming summer.

In a broader push to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and tackle power shortages caused by fuel supply issues at thermal plants, Iran aims to connect an additional 1,000 MW of renewable energy capacity to its grid by the summer of 2025.

To facilitate the expansion of renewable energy, the government has earmarked $5 billion in low-interest loans from its sovereign wealth fund. Furthermore, state-owned commodity exporters have been authorized to use their foreign currency earnings to import renewable energy equipment for internal power generation.

Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi announced last month that Iran’s renewable energy capacity is expected to increase 25-fold over the next three years, reaching nearly 30,000 MW. He also highlighted that funds previously allocated for oil and gas supplies to power stations will now be redirected toward developing renewable energy infrastructure.