A total of 1,650 megawatts of solar energy will be added to the power generation capacity of Yazd Province in four years, the managing director of the provincial Regional Electricity Company said.
The initiative is the result of “a memorandum of understanding that has been recently signed between Yazd Governorate and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (Satba) regarding the development of renewable energy in the central province”, Abolfazl Asadi was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal Paven.
Currently, there are 10 solar power stations in Yazd with a total capacity of 81.5 MW, helping the province achieve the highest solar power production capacity, he added.
Asadi noted that by the end of the next Iranian year (March 2023), solar farms with a capacity of 200 MW will become operational in the province.
In the past six years, private firms have invested $50 million in the solar power sector of the province and the government’s share in expanding infrastructure is $10 million.
The hot and dry climate in Yazd is ideal for harvesting solar energy. The city, 630 km southeast of Tehran, is situated between the two deserts of Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, the latter known as one of the hottest places on earth. The province has more than 300 sunny days in a year.
Solar Power in Southwest
The construction of a 5-megawatt solar power plant in Sefiddasht City, Borujen County in Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari Province, has registered 80% progress, the managing director of provincial Power Distribution Company said.
“The private sector is building the solar farm that is the biggest of its kind in the province,” Paven also quoted Majid Farahzad as saying.
Referring to the reduction of emissions and decrease in fossil fuel consumption as the benefits of using renewable energy, he said according to estimates, the province has an electricity production capacity of 200 MW through solar energy.
Renewable energy is the least expensive option for improving access to electricity, reducing air pollution and cutting CO2 emissions.
Greenhouse gases are capable of trapping the earth's emitted radiation, which otherwise escapes back into space. Thermal power plants are among the main sources of emitting greenhouse gases.
The renewable industry is among the slowest-growing sectors and produces 980 MW of the total power capacity of 84,000 MW, most of which is produced from thermal power plants that feed on fossil fuels.
Satba plans to add 10 gigawatts to the current renewable electricity capacity of Iran in the next four years.
As per the plans, by the next summer, 500 MW will be added to the renewables capacity, most of which will be from solar farms.
Studies show that renewable investments in Iran are profitable. Solar radiation in Iran is estimated to be about 1,800 to 2,200 kilowatt-hours per cubic meter annually, which is higher than the global average.
Global Status
Global solar photovoltaic installations will see over 20% growth in 2022 and surpass the 200 gigawatts barrier for the first time, at a total investment of at least $170 billion, according to a new report.
According to IHS Markit’s study, continued growth through 2022 would mark the second year in a row to experience double-digit growth of global installations in a high-price environment.
IHS Markit’s study found the utility segment was the most impacted in 2021, with multiple projects delayed or cancelled, Renews.biz reported.
“By contrast, the strong growth of the distributed generation, i.e., residential, commercial and industrial sectors, has been one of the success stories of solar PV in 2021, boosted by the fuel crisis and surging electricity prices, particularly in markets across Europe,” said Josefin Berg, research manager, clean energy technology at IHS Markit.
The intense logistic and supply chain disruption over the past year has “pushed the cost of solar PV materials to new highs”, said the report.
