Solar photovoltaic power generation in Iran: Development, policies, and barriers

Abstract

Iran holds 10% of the global oil reserves and 15% of the natural gas. It is the second largest producer and exporter of oil and gas in Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The consumption of energy in Iran is 4.4 times higher than the global average, placing it among the world's top ten greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. According to the published statistics, renewable energy (RE) has faced a considerable growth in Iran due to the strategies of the sixth development plan, which aims at generating 5000 MW from REs by 2021, and an additional 2500 MW by 2030. The other reason is that under the “Paris Agreement” terms, Iran obliged to reduce its GHG emissions by at least 4% and at most 12% by 2030. Among RE resources, Iran has the remarkable potential for solar energy with the average annual rate of 4.5–5.5 kWh/m2. Under these conditions, solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants can play a crucial role in supplying a significant portion of the country's electricity demand. Although there is a high tendency of the government and policy makers for deployment of PV technology in Iran, there are still some impediments to turn potential into reality in this sector due to insufficient industry growth, financing problems, deficient of governing rules, and lack of a sustainable development roadmap. Solving these issues requires long-term and persisting policies to gain technical and industrial development to achieve mass progress in this sector during the next decades.