What is the main energy resource in Iran?

Natural gas has been the main energy resource in Iran so far with a share of 60% of total primary energy consumption in 2013, following by oil with 38%, hydropower with 1–2%, and a marginal contribution of coal, biomass and waste, nuclear power and non-hydro renewables (BP Group 2014; EIA 2015).

Will Iran increase its power plant capacity in 2021?

Iran has in place legislation obliging the Minister of Energy to increase the share of renewables and clean power plants to at least 5% of the country's capacity until the end of 2021.

How many MW of solar power does Iran have?

However, 27 MW of installed wind power capacity was added to the system in 2014 (Farfan and Breyer 2017). Solar power generation has seen high growth in recent years, mainly through photovoltaics (PV) and followed by concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) plants in Iran.

Why does Iran have a low storage capacity?

In terms of storage, the low installed capacities can be explained by the fact that Iran has a high availability of RE sources, particularly wind energy, solar PV and hydropower, which can produce electricity all-year-round (Fig. 6). The total storage capacities soar from 9.7 TWh in the country-wide scenario to 110.9 TWh in the integrated scenario.

Why is energy use in Iran so inefficient?

Energy use in Iran is inefficient mainly due to huge energy subsidies by the government. The country’s energy intensity is 36 and 27% higher than the global average and the Middle Eastern average, respectively (IEA 2016; The World Bank 2014).

What is Iran's energy policy?

Recently, the Iranian government has focused on RE use in different economic sectors (SUNA 2016a) and Iran’s energy policy has changed from one dominated by oil to a diverse energy supply with more sustainable resources (Helio International 2006), as well as nuclear power.