Close to 2.67 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was generated from alternative energy sources over nine years, reducing water and fossil fuel consumption.
This volume of clean energy was produced from July 2009 to December 2018 and helped cut 1.8 million tons of greenhouse gases and 759 million cubic meters of fossil fuels. It also saved 588 million liters of water, ILNA reported Sunday.
"A total of 97 plants generate renewable energy and another 47 are under construction. Half of the units are solar, and the rest are powered by wind, water and biomass," the news agency said.
According to Mohammad Sadeghzadeh, deputy energy minister and head of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA), there are 2,000 rooftop photovoltaic power stations and the same number is being installed in different regions.
“Installed power capacity stands at around 82,000 megawatts, of which 670 MW is from renewables,” Sadeghzadeh said. He hoped that by early 2020 and estimated 500 megawatts would be added to the national grid boosting renewable capacity to over 1,100 MW.
Water shortage and its impact on hydroelectric and thermal power generation have made the role of renewables, which produce 70% of their annual output in summer without the need for water, more crucial in long-term energy policy and promoting environmentally-friendly industries.
According to Energy Ministry data, wind and solar power plants account for 43% and 39% of Iran’s renewable capacity respectively. Small hydroelectric plants, waste-to-energy complexes and biomass factories constitute 15%, 2% and 1% of the total renewable output respectively.
