Iran's Plan to Generate 7500 Megawatts of Electricity from Solar Energy

Iran's Ministry of Energy has announced that by 2030, the country will produce 7500 megawatts of electricity from solar energy. This amount is more than seven times the electricity generated from the Bushehr nuclear power plant. According to ISNA, Hamid Chitchian, the Minister of Energy, mentioned the inauguration of two seven-megawatt solar power plants in Hamadan, stating, "By 2030, Iran will install 7500 megawatts of solar power plants. In the past, the largest solar power plant in the country had a capacity of one megawatt, but today two seven-megawatt plants have come online, and soon a ten-megawatt plant in Isfahan and more plants with higher capacities will be commissioned in the coming years." What are the characteristics of the two new solar power plants in Hamadan? The seven-megawatt Khaleej Fars power plant was built on a 10-hectare site near the Hamadan-Saveh highway, 44 kilometers from Hamadan city, on rehabilitated farmland from the village of Qorqhalar. The Amir Kabir seven-megawatt power plant was also inaugurated simultaneously on a 10-hectare site near the Hamadan police station. Both solar power plants in Hamadan utilize electricity-generating panels. Haji-Reza Timouri, the CEO of the Hamadan Electricity Distribution Company, stated about these plants, "The Khaleej Fars seven-megawatt power plant was designed with foreign investment and was created at a cost of eight million euros... The construction of each megawatt of solar power plant costs about four thousand and fifty billion rials, while during the sanctions, importing power plant equipment was difficult, and each megawatt required about 100 billion rials in investment." Michael Clor Berchtold, the German ambassador to Iran, also commented on the inauguration of these two solar power plants, which were funded by German companies, saying, "The JCPOA has created good opportunities in Iran. Today, the courage and foresight of Iranian and German partners for the inauguration of the solar power plant has been fruitful, and this 15 million euro investment was a kind of foresight." Currently, many European companies, including German and Dutch firms, are active in producing solar power plants in Iran. The Iranian Minister of Energy stated, "These projects have been shaped by foreign investment, which is very important for us." The German Solar Energy Association has estimated that Iran's solar projects can offer a return rate of 30 to 36 percent. Iran is currently located in one of the best regions in the world for solar energy absorption to supply electricity. Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia, a competitor to Iran in energy production, plans to invest 210 billion dollars to produce 129 gigawatts of electricity from solar energy by 2032. Currently, with a 9 billion dollar investment, the most advanced solar power plant in the region has been built in Morocco, with a capacity of 160 megawatts of solar electricity. This plant will reach its maximum capacity by 2020 and occupies an area of approximately 30 square kilometers. The builders of this plant claim that the first phase of this ultra-modern plant can supply electricity for one million people. Contrary to the common belief that the best method for solar electricity production is electricity-generating panels, the most effective method implemented in Morocco is the use of mirrors. A concave mirror can focus light at a point, which generates high temperatures. Currently, several methods are being used to employ this ancient method for generating heat from sunlight. In one of the most effective methods, which has also been used in Morocco, pipes carrying molten salt are passed through parabolic mirrors. The concentration of sunlight by the concave mirrors raises the temperature of the molten salt to 550 degrees Celsius. This molten salt, after absorbing energy and reaching this temperature, is placed near water pipes. The water is vaporized by the heat of the molten salt, and the steam turns the steam turbines, which ultimately drives the generators to produce electricity. Some of this high-temperature molten salt is stored in large tanks to heat the water pipes and produce steam at night when there is no sunlight. Currently, two small solar power plants have been built or are under construction in the Iranian cities of Shiraz and Yazd, which utilize such methods. The capacity of the Shiraz solar power plant, which is somewhat similar to the solar power plant built in Morocco, is 250 kilowatts (640 times weaker than the solar power plant in Morocco). The Yazd solar power plant is of a hybrid type, with a solar capacity of 17 megawatts. In this under-construction plant, solar energy is part of a thermal power plant responsible for heating part of the water for the plant. This solar power plant complements two gas power plants with a total capacity of 467 megawatts, with about four percent of the power of this plant supplied by solar energy, while the remaining energy is provided by fossil fuels. Although Iran is one of the best regions in the world for solar energy production, both the Shiraz and Yazd power plant projects cannot be taken seriously given their low electricity production capacity. Currently, southern Iran can receive 6 kilowatts of solar energy per square meter per hour, while in other parts of Iran, this amount is 5 kilowatts. The highest solar energy absorption capacity belongs to southern Saudi Arabia, with 7 kilowatts per square meter.