Renewable Power Expansion Behind Schedule: Satba

According to the sixth Five Year Economic Development Plan (2017-22), renewable energy should comprise 5% of the total power capacity; however, this share is hardly 1% indicating that expansion of renewables has fallen behind schedule, spokesman of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (Satba) said.
“Slow growth of renewables is due to a variety of reasons, including fluctuations in currency rates in the past year plus lack of interest among investors due to the low purchase price of electricity (until October),” IRNA quoted Jaffar Mohammadnejad Sigaroudi as saying.
In 2015 the Energy Ministry set reasonable tariffs to buy clean energy produced by private firms. The move produced results and was a key factor in attracting local and foreign investment in renewables.