A complete shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy will not happen overnight, but the need is growing exponentially as renewables can effectively substitute fossil fuels and offer substantial environmental and economic benefits.
Jafar Mohammadnejad, spokesman of Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (Satba), made the statement on the sidelines of the 21st Iran International Electricity Exhibition on Oct. 31 in Tehran, ILNA reported.
Decommissioning a 1,000-megawatt thermal power plant and replacing it with a one gigawatt solar or wind power station can help curb natural gas consumption by as much as 1.5 billion cubic meters per year.
Iran’s yearly gas consumption is about 280 million cubic meters, so the amount of natural gas saved by building each solar or wind power plant with a 1,000-MW capacity equals the volume of gas expected to be burnt in the country in five years, he added.
Moreover, a 1000-MW renewable plant can curtail 3.7 million tons the emission of greenhouse gases annually.
Referring to other benefits of renewable plants, Mohammadnejad noted that the construction of a 1000-MW solar or wind plant requires $600 million while building a thermal power station with the same capacity will cost at least $2 billion.
Renewable plants are built and synchronized with the national grid in less than a year, while the minimum time needed to build a thermal power station is three years.
According to the official, the generation of each kilowatt of power in a thermal plant costs 10 cents and the same amount of electricity can be produced in a solar or wind power plant for less than 7 cents.
Mohammadnejad said the construction of a 1-gigawatt solar or wind power station can also save 2.8 million cubic meters of water in a year.
Global dependence on oil, natural gas and coal, as well as the damage inflicted by this dependence, is well-documented. But a transition away from fossil fuels is in progress and simply needs to be expedited.
Alternative energy sources can effectively replace fossil fuels in key areas that keep industries running, from power to public and private transport to thermal comfort.
Development Barriers
According to the renewable energy policy think tank REN21, most barriers to moving out of the fossil fuel age are political rather than practical. Indeed, while a large measure of the responsibility rests with governments to commit to identifying competitive alternatives to fossil fuels, as REN21 puts it, “patience and faith in politicians, who hesitate and waver, is fading”.
As the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) puts it, with the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2016, participating countries have pledged to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, as well as to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
By scaling up renewable energy, countries can sharply reduce one major source of the problem: energy-related CO2 emissions.
“Today, renewables are the cheapest source of power,” said IRENA’s Director General Francesco La Camera.
“Renewables present countries tied to coal with an economically attractive phase-out agenda that ensures they meet growing energy demand, while saving costs, adding jobs, boosting growth and meeting climate ambition. I am encouraged that more and more countries opt to power their economies with renewables and follow IRENA’s pathway to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”
A total of 284 prominent electrical companies, equipment manufacturers and vendors from Iran, China, Italy, Turkey, Canada, Germany, France and Japan have participated in the 21st Iran International Electricity Exhibition.
The exhibition, which will end on Nov. 1, covers a variety of fields, including lighting, wire and cable, electrical panels, electrical equipment, automation and instrumentation systems, and transmission lines.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the exhibit will be only open for experts, officials and businessmen active in the industry in full compliance with health protocols.
The objective of this exposition is to act as a comprehensive resource for those active in the industry, by providing in-depth information about its status and latest trends influencing its progress.
