Iran is working on deploying 15 GW of small-scale solar power plants.
According to reports published by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA) has submitted a proposal to the government for a program that aims to rapidly deploy 15 GW of small-scale power plants in the domestic, commercial and agricultural solar energy sectors.
SATBA CEO Mohsen Tarztalab told the news agency that both domestic production and imports of equipment should be pursued to enable the rapid installation of small solar systems. He also said a proposal has been submitted to the government to increase the financial resources available for home solar installations.
Tarztalab indicated that the move towards prioritizing small-scale solar energy systems will include offering packages with hybrid inverters and batteries.
“Part of our focus will shift from large-scale and small-scale power plants to power plants on branch offices, rooftops, homes, commercial buildings and agriculture. In this model, small packages, including solar panels, hybrid inverters and batteries, are designed so that every citizen can easily use these systems,” said Tarztalb. “Achieving this goal requires general and specialized training in the installation, operation and maintenance of this equipment.”
Tarztalab recently unveiled 17 specialized solar energy training centers designed to help accelerate the development of solar power plants in Iran. SATBA has set itself the goal of training 200,000 renewable energy specialists over the next five years.
IRNA’s latest report also shows that Iran’s first solar project fund is likely to be launched in the coming weeks. It says the fund will have an initial capacity of 500 MW and will allow residential and commercial customers to participate in solar projects by purchasing shares. The proposed fund aims to increase public participation in the development of solar energy projects and attract public capital.
Iran has set a target of reaching 12 GW of renewable energy capacity by the end of the year. In the IRNA report, Tarztalb says the target is achievable, despite some delays in the arrival of equipment in the country.
“In recent months, due to transportation restrictions and problems, some of the equipment did not enter the country on time, but now the equipment is being imported via land, rail, sea and air routes, and we hope that this delay will be compensated in the coming months,” he said.
The imports already include hybrid inverters and batteries in addition to solar panels, Tarztalab shared, before adding that the development of hybrid packages is on SATBA’s agenda and should be offered soon.
IRNA reported earlier in June that Iran’s cumulative renewable energy capacity has now exceeded 5 GW.
