Installed electricity capacity generated with the help of cogeneration or combined heat and power plants has risen by 130% over the last eight months in Bakhtar Region (Markazi, Lorestan and Hamedan provinces), managing director of Bakhtar Regional Electricity Company said.
“CHP output has increased by 44 megawatts, reaching 101 MW,” Farhad Shabihi was quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal.
He said three CHP plants with the capacity to produce 10 MW were linked to the national grid in Khomein and Mahalat (Markazi Province) and Vian in Hamedan. The remaining (34 MW) became operational in Lorestan.
CHP is the use of a heat engine or power station to generate electricity and useful heat at the same time. Cogeneration is an efficient use of fuel.
In conventional power plants, some energy is lost as waste heat, but in cogeneration, most of the thermal energy is used.
New (CHP) stations are under construction in the region and upon completion by next March, the capacity will surpass 127 MW, he noted.
Referring to green energy, Shabihi said the Bakhtar Region accounts for 68 MW of the country’s total 850 MW renewable energy output.
“Close to 47 MW comes from solar and hydropower constitutes 21 MW,” he said.
Free Trade Zone
In related news, the portal added that Gilan Province's second CHP plant became operational in Bandar Anzali Free Trade Zone.
"Costing $11 million, the small-scale plant with 25 MW capacity was completed in less than two years with the help of the private sector [Caspian Power Plant Generator Company]," head of the provincial power company Azim Bolbolabadi said.
The project with distributed generation systems was partly financed by the National Development Fund of Iran.
Not only can the plant supply the Aanzali FTZ with stable power, but with 55% efficiency rate it will also be able to support the Rasht electricity power grid during peak demand.
The Caspian Power Plant Generator Company started construction work in 2017 on a 5,000 square meter area in the FTZ, situated in an eponymous port city in Gilan Province along the International North-South Transport Corridor.
An estimated 67,900 billion rials ($611.7 million) was invested in Iran's free trade zones in the last fiscal year (ended March 20), indicating a 40% growth compared to the previous year’s 48,000 billion rials ($432.4 million).
