Ministry of Energy has recently called authorized crypto miners to set up their own renewable energy at farm levels, allowing miners to use the national grid as a backup when renewable output is low.
In a new measure, Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) announced that it would purchase the excess electricity output of authorized miners who build their own renewable energy farms.
"Authorized crypto miners who develop their own renewable energy in farms, can feed the excess energy into the national grid and receive the equal amount of electricity when they need it," Jafar Mohammadnejad, SATBA's spokesman was quoted as saying.
"If their net balance during each billing period is positive they will be paid the difference, otherwise miners need to pay for the extra electricity they consume from the national grid," he said.
SATBA payments will be based on the approved rates for purchasing energy from renewable farms, whereas billing to miners will be calculated as per rates set in the framework of authorized crypto mining operations.
Earlier this week, the Ministry of Energy said that it had modified the tariffs for authorized miners based on seasonal power consumption patterns.
Henceforth miners will be charged 4,800 rials for one kilowatt-hour–equal to half the electricity export rate in autumn, winter and spring.
However, billings will be made based on 19,300 rials/kw, twice higher than the price for electrify export, in the peak summer seasons (June to September).
Sudden Surge in Mining
Electricity rates in Iran are among the lowest in the world -- 0.7 cent kilowatt-hour. This partly led to the sudden surge in crypto mining farms across the country, even in small rural areas where the grids cannot handle the sudden heavy load.
In response to increasing demand, the government defined a set of rules for authorizing cryptocurrency mining business. Prospective miners are given another option regarding electricity use: having their own mini-grids or using renewable energy.
The measure was welcomed by miners, as they believed that such measure could also help augment national renewable capacity.
Of the total 81,000 MW power production capacity, 850 MW comes from renewables and the government is taking effective measures to boost green energy.
There are more than 115 large solar farms in Iran, and around 3,500 smaller installations in cities and villages. Over 2,500 rooftop photovoltaic power units will be set up by next year mainly in deprived rural areas.
