Changing working hours in state organizations during peak electricity demand hours in summer decreased power consumption by as much as 350 megawatts in 2017, an official in charge of Consumption Department in Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) said.
"Although the executive bodies had been obliged to reduce their consumption by 10%, most of them cut their average use only by 4%," Alireza Ahmadi-Yazdi was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
"The provinces whose average temperature exceeds 45 degrees centigrade in summer are allowed to change their official working hours," he said, noting that state-owned buildings constitute nearly 7% of total electricity use in Iran so the government plans to reduce consumption.
According to the official, the hour shifting scheme was administered in 11 provinces and staff started their job at 6:30 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. and left their office one hour earlier.
"Banks and municipal offices, which do not pay for power bills out of their own pockets, are indifferent to electricity consumption," Ahmadi-Yazdi said, adding that not only did some organization not consume power prudently, but their use also rose in peak hours last year.
Ahmadi-Yazdi believes that as long as employees do not benefit from the advantages of power saving plans, they will not be motivated to participate.
The official noted that saving energy is good business, because it cuts expenses and is environmentally wise.
President Hassan Rouhani's administration approved a scheme last year, which obliges state-owned organizations to install solar panels to meet at least 20% of their electricity needs via clean energy over two years.
Experts opine that solar power and other renewable energy is a long way from replacing electricity or gas completely for the vast majority of businesses. But solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines and other renewable energy sources may be used to reduce reliance on traditional energy. There are incentives and programs for these, ranging from tax breaks and rebates to grants and loan programs.
