A string of solar panels at the Pardisan Park in northwest Tehran became operational on Sunday.
A total of 144 panels deployed in the southern parking space of the 270-hectare park can produce 80 kilowatt-hours of electricity.
"Solar power, as a renewable source of energy, creates absolutely no pollution and significantly reduces the level of pollutants and greenhouse gases," Saeed Motesadi, a deputy at the Department of Environment, said on the sidelines of a ceremony to launch the new solar farm, Mehr News Agency reported.
Calling for expansion of photovoltaic systems, he said DOE is a pioneer of using solar power by meeting 80 kWh of its electric demand from this clean and renewable source of energy.
Motesadi added that government organizations are required to invest 1% of their budget in the current Iranian year (ends March 2016) for the development of green energies.
Iran’s installed power generation capacity is around 74,000 megawatts. Around 220 MW are generated from hydroelectric plants and 220 MW via wind and solar units.
The country needs to generate 5,000 MW of renewable energies by the end of the Fifth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2011-16).
Currently, $47 million in national budget have been allocated to develop solar energy by using photovoltaic cells.
