By 2012, Iran had roughly 400 power plant units. By the end of 2013, Iran had a total installed electricity generation capacity of 70,000 MW, which had been increased from 90 MW in 1948, and 7024 MW in 1978.[1] [2] [3] It is planned to add more than 5,000 MW of generation capacity annually to the power grid, which will almost double the total power generation capacity to 122,000 MW by 2022.[4] [5] The government of Iran plans to privatize 20 power plants by September 2010.[6] Iran's peak demand for electricity was 45,693 MW during the summer of 2013.[7]
It was predicted Iran accounts for 17.08% of MENA power generation by 2014. The natural gas was the major fuel used to generate electricity in Iran in 2009, accounting for an estimated 56.8% of primary energy demand (PED), followed by oil at 40.8% and hydro power at 1.4%. As of 2010, the average efficiency of power plants in Iran was 38 percent. The figure should reach to 45 percent within five years and 50 percent under Vision 2025.[8] [9]
Electricity generation in 2008, accounted for 203.8 billion kWh or roughly one percent of world's total production, which was increased by 5.9 percent comparing with the year before. In 2008, the total electricity generated was 190.2 billion kWh which 93.3% was generated by power plants affiliated with the Ministry of Energy and 13.6 billion kWh (6.7%) by other institutions, which were mostly from the private sector.[10] [11] The largest share of electricity (91.1 billion kWh) was generated by steam power plants while diesel power plants accounted for the smallest share of generation (0.2 billion kWh). In 2008, the highest growth in generation of electricity belonged to gas and combined cycle power plants with 9.3 percent growth rate while the amount of electricity generated by hydroelectric power plants declined by 1.7 percent. As of 2010, the consumer price of electricity in Iran was 1.6 US cents per kilowatt hour while the real production cost was about 8.0 US cents.[10] [12] (See also: Cost of electricity by source)
In 2010, 900,000 jobs were directly or indirectly related to the power industry in Iran. Currently, Iran's spares power capacity stands at 3 per cent, but this amount is much lower than the ideal 25 percent of peak power used.[12] It has been estimated that 23.5 percent of the electricity generation is wasted in the transmission network.[12] Iran's power grid has been connected to seven neighboring countries Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan and annually, exports 5.5 TWh of electricity.
See also: MAPNA, Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran, AZAR AB Industries Co, Industry of Iran and List of Iranian companies. Electric power industry in Iran has become self-sufficient in producing the required equipment to build power plants.[13] While most of the electricity generators are run by the government, the equipment producers and contractors are generally from the private sector.[12] Iran is among the top ten manufacturers of gas turbines with a capacity up to 160 megawatts.[14] Iran engineers at JEMCO (a subsidiary of IDRO) have succeeded to develop and produce one and four-megawatt generators. Iran can manufacture materials for over 80 percent of hydraulic turbines and over 90 percent of gas turbines. In the near future, Iran can become a major player in building power plant with advanced technology (2009).[15] Iran plans to build its first indigenous gas turbines by 2015. Iran has achieved the technical expertise to set up hydroelectric, gas and combined cycle power plants.[16] Iran is one of the four countries in the world which can manufacture advanced V94.2 gas turbines.[17] The Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO) is currently building the country's first 4-megawatt (MW) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) turbo generator in cooperation with the private sector.
See also: Nuclear program of Iran and Nuclear facilities in Iran. Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant is Iran's first indigenously designed and built power plant besides the research reactor of IR-40.[18] [19] [20] Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is Iran's first nuclear power plant and it has been manufactured with the technical assistance of Russia.
Iran is not only self-sufficient in power plant construction but has also concluded a number of contracts on implementing projects in neighboring states.[21] [22] As of 2010, Iranian energy and resource development firms are involved in 50 projects worth over USD 2.2 billion in more than 20 countries across the world.[23] As at 2011, MAPNA was building power plants in Syria, Oman and Iraq and negotiations were underway to build two power plants in Lebanon.
One of Iran’s most important international projects will see the construction of a $200-million hydroelectric dam in Nicaragua starting 2011. Iran is currently engaged in dam construction in Tajikistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and consultations are underway with a number of other countries. Kenya, Sri Lanka, Bolivia and Mali are the potential target markets being considered for exporting the country’s technical and engineering services.[24] In 2010, Iran won a contract to build a dam in Afghanistan and the third contract to build a power plant station in Syria.[25] In December 2005 a wind farm was put in operation at Pushkin Pass in Armenia. Total installed capacity of the farm is 2.64 MW, comprise from the four 660 kW wind turbines. Wind farm was built by support of 3.1 mln US$ grant from the government of Islamic Republic of Iran.[26] The Armenian and Iranian energy sectors are currently jointly constructing the Iran-Armenia Wind Farm which is set to become the country's largest wind farm, having an installed electric capacity of 90 MW.[27] As at 2012, Iran is building seven large power plants in Syria, Oman, Iraq, and Tajikistan.[28]
See also: Foreign Direct Investment in Iran.
According to the Ministry of Energy, Germany has invested $445 million in construction of the Pareh-Sar combined cycle power plant in northern Iran, while the UAE has invested $720 million in construction of a gas power plant as well as a combined cycle power plant in Isfahan and Shiraz. In 2015, Iran and Russia signed an agreement regarding the construction of eight thermal power plants in Iran, with a total installed capacity of 2,800 Megawatts (MW). The investment per MW will be $3.57 million ($10 billion in total).[29]
See main article: Privatization in Iran. Mapna Company. Sahand, Bistoun, Shazand, Shahid Montazeri, Tous, Shahid Rajaei and Neishabour power stations are among the profit-making plants, work on privatizing them will be finalized by late March 2007.[30] Jahrom, Khalij-e Fars (Persian Gulf) and Sahand power plants will be ceded to the private sector in 2009.[31] [32] All domestic power plants will be privatized gradually, except those the government feels it should run to ensure security of the national electricity grid. Power plants of Damavand, Mashhad, Shirvan, Kerman, Khalij-e Fars, Abadan, Bisotoon, Sanandaj, Manjil and Binalood, which have been turned into public limited firms, are ready for privatization.[33] As of 2010, 20 power plants were ready for privatization in Iran.[34] Upon ceding the 20 power plants to IPO, some 40 percent of the capacity of power plants nationwide will be assigned to the private and cooperative sectors.[35] As of 2011, about 45 power plants across the country were to be handed over to the private sector.[36] In 2012, it was announced that Iran's government which has already turned over 17 of its 45 power plants to the private sector since 2008, will transfer 28 more plants with an estimated value of $11.4 billion (USD), by March 2013.[37]
See also: Iranian targeted subsidy plan, Tehran Stock Exchange and Energy in Iran.
The new energy/electricity bourse will be inaugurated in 2012.[38] This will bring about more competition and transparency in Iran’s electricity market.[39] Experts believe that following the launch of the subsidies reform plan, the electricity industry will undergo significant changes and will become more appealing to private investors.[40] Iran is the 16th electricity producer in the world.
As at 2012, Iran had over 400 power plant units and 38 electricity distribution companies which buy the electricity from producers. Iran has over 100 companies which consume more than 20 MW of electricity per year. The average price of each kilowatt of electricity is 450 rials (around 5 cents) during the first phase of the Subsidy Reform Law. The average final price of each kilowatt of electricity will be 1000 rials (around 10 cents) in 2015.[41] According to the government of Iran, power stations have to pay the export price of gas if they want to export electricity and must improve efficiency.[42]
Iran's electricity export and related technical and engineering services exports was valued at $4 billion in 2011.[43] In 2010, the total of Iran’s electricity exports to Afghanistan, Iraq (650 MW), Azerbaijan, Armenia, Pakistan and Turkey reached 878 megawatts and the total of imports from Armenia (237 MW) and Turkmenistan was recorded at 463 megawatts.[41] Jordan, India, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Syria, and the UAE are the new countries that have expressed interest in buying electricity from Iran.[41]
| Name | Location | Capacity (MW) | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiraz Biogas Power Plant | Fars Province | 1.1 | Biogas power station | 2009 | The plant uses organic waste as fuel for production of electricity from waste. | |
| Mashhad Biogas Power Plant | Razavi Khorasan Province | 0.6 | Biogas power station | 2010 | The plant uses organic waste as fuel for production of electricity from waste.[44] [45] [46] [47] | |
| ? | Tehran Province | 3.5 | Waste incineration | 2012 | The plant has the capacity to burn 300 tonnes of solid waste per day.[48] | |
| Sari Incineration Power Plant | Mazandaran Province | 4 | Waste incineration | 2012 | The plant is designed to incinerate over 450 tonnes of waste per day, producing 10 MW of electricity. It is used to develop information for 20 other such plants to be deployed in Iran's major cities.[49] [50] [51] |
| Name | Location | Capacity (MW) | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rudeshur Power Plant | Markazi Province | 2000 | Natural gas power station | 2007 | Open Gas Cycle Turbine (OGCT). This is the first private power plant in Iran, belonging to Arian Mah-Taab Gostar Co.[52] | |
| Kazerun Power Plant | Fars Province | 1373 | Natural gas power station | 1994 | CHP type thermal station incorporating Iran's first locally produced gas turbine, generator set and steam turbine[53] [54] | |
| Sultanyeh Power Plant | Zanjan Province | 1000 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | CHP type thermal station[55] [56] | |
| Urmia Power Plant | West Azarbaijan Province | 60 | Natural gas power station | 1982 | Natural gas thermal station situated inside the city of Urmia[57] | |
| Urmia Combined Power Plant | West Azarbaijan Province | 1500 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | CHP type thermal station[58] [59] | |
| Khoy Combined Power Plant | West Azarbaijan Province | 453 | Natural gas power station | 1996 | CHP type thermal station[60] | |
| Iranshahr steam Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 256 | Natural gas power station | 1996 | Thermal power station running on natural gas as primary fuel and furnace oil as backup fuel[61] [62] | |
| Chabahar Combined Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 478 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and furnace oil as backup fuel; part of generation for export to Pakistan[63] [64] | |
| Konarak NG Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 150 | Natural gas power station | 2009 | Thermal power station[65] | |
| Zahedan NG Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 230 | Natural gas power station | Gas turbine plant providing power for Zahidan[66] | ||
| Zahidan Diesel Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 24 | Diesel engine generator | 1976 | Electrical generation currently used only for peak power management | |
| Zabul Diesel Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 29 | Diesel engine generator | Electrical generation currently used only for peak power management | ||
| Khash Diesel Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 22 | Diesel engine generator | Electrical generation currently used only for peak power management | ||
| Iranshahr Diesel Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 30 | Diesel engine generator | Electrical generation currently used only for peak power management | ||
| Saravan Diesel Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 13 | Diesel engine generator | Electrical generation currently used only for peak power management | ||
| Iranshahr combined Power Plant | Sistan and Baluchestan Province | 1000 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and furnace oil as backup fuel[67] | |
| Shaheed Salimi Neka Combined Power Plant | Mazandaran Province | 2214 | Natural gas power station | 2006 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and furnace oil as backup fuel[68] | |
| Nishapur Combined Power Plant | Razavi Khorasan Province | 1042 | Natural gas power station | 1993 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and diesel as backup fuel[69] | |
| Fars Combined Power Plant | Fars Province | 1050 | Natural gas power station | 2008 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and furnace oil as backup fuel[70] | |
| Sarehpar Combined Power Plant | Gilan Province | 968 | Natural gas power station | 2010 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and furnace oil as backup fuel[71] | |
| Shaheed Kaveh Combined Power Plant | South Khorasan Province | 630 | Natural gas power station | 2008 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and diesel as backup fuel; being upgraded to 950 MW[72] | |
| Mahshahr NG Power Plant | Khuzestan Province | 968 | Natural gas power station | 2012 | Combined cycle plant under construction[73] [74] | |
| Abadan NG Power Plant | Khuzestan Province | 493 | Natural gas power station | 2002 | Plant convertible to combined cycle[75] | |
| Aliabad Katool Combined Power Plant | Golestan Province | 1500 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and diesel as backup fuel[76] | |
| Zavareh Combined Power Plant | Isfahan Province | 484 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Combined cycle plant running on natural gas as primary fuel and diesel as backup fuel[77] | |
| Aryan Combined Power Plant | Zanjan Province | 1000 | Natural gas power station | 2013 | Combined cycle plant under construction[78] | |
| Zanjan 4 Combined Power Plant | Zanjan Province | 484 | Natural gas power station | 2012 | Combined cycle plant under construction[79] [80] | |
| Zanjan 1 Combined Power Plant | Zanjan Province | 484 | Natural gas power station | Combined cycle plant under construction[81] | ||
| Khorramabad Combined Power Plant | Lorestan Province | 2000 | Natural gas power station | Combined cycle plant under construction[82] | ||
| Behistun Steam Power Plant | Kermanshah Province | 1280 | Natural gas power station | 2013 | Thermal power station[83] [84] | |
| Zagrus NG Power Plant | Kermanshah Province | 648 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Gas turbine plant constructed adjacent to Behistun Steam Power Plant; convertible to combined cycle with resultant increased output of 1000 MW[85] [86] | |
| Islamabad Combined Power Plant | Kermanshah Province | 484 | Natural gas power station | 2012 | Combined cycle plant[87] | |
| Islamabad NG Power Plant | Kermanshah Province | 100 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Gas turbine plant | |
| Pasargadae Combined Power Plant | Hormozgān Province | 500 | Natural gas power station | 2011 | Combined cycle plant situated on Qeshm island is to be connected with submarine power cable to the national grid[88] | |
| Kahnooj Combined Power Plant | Kerman Province | 1000 | Natural gas power station | 2013 | Combined cycle plant under construction[89] [90] | |
| Kerman Combined Power Plant | Kerman Province | 2000 | Natural gas power station | 2010 | Combined cycle plant[91] | |
| Noshahr NG Power Plant | Mazandaran Province | 50 | Natural gas power station | 2009 | Gas turbine plant[92] | |
| West Mazandaran Combined Power Plant | Mazandaran Province | 484 | Natural gas power station | Combined cycle plant under construction[93] | ||
| Amirabad Port NG Power Plant | Mazandaran Province | 75 | Natural gas power station | Gas turbine plant under construction[94] | ||
| Sarakhs Combined Power Plant | Razavi Khorasan Province | 1650 | Natural gas power station | 2012 | Combined cycle plant under construction; waste hot water from the plant is to be used for industrial greenhouse agriculture[95] [96] |
See also: List of reservoirs and dams in Iran.
| Name | Location | Capacity (MW) | Type | Operational | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shahid Abbaspour Dam (Karun-1) | Khuzestan | 2,000 | Hydroelectric dam | 1976 | One of the four large hydroelectric dams on Karun River[97] |
| Karkheh Dam | Khūzestān | 520 | Hydroelectric dam | 2001 | The dam was built by Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. |
| Amir Kabir Dam | Karaj | 90 | Hydroelectric dam | 1961 | In addition to power, it provides water for the city of Tehran. |
| Dez Dam | Khuzestan | 520 | Hydroelectric dam | 1963 | [98] [99] |
| Karun-3 Dam | Khuzestan | 2,280 | Hydroelectric dam | 2005 | [100] |
| Karun-4 Dam | Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari | 1,020 | Hydroelectric dam | 2010 | |
| Masjed Soleyman Dam (Karun-2) | Masjed-Soleyman | 2,000 | Hydroelectric dam | 2002 | [101] |
| Lar Dam, Amol | Mazandaran Province | 30 | Hydroelectric dam | 1984 | |
| Latyan Dam | Tehran Province | 45 | Hydroelectric dam | 1967 | |
| Kouhrang Dam | Isfahan Province | 35.1 | Hydroelectric dam | 2002 | |
| Lavarak Dam | Tehran Province | 47 | Hydroelectric dam | 2009 | |
| Shahid Rajaee Dam | Mazandaran Province | 13.5 | Hydroelectric dam | 2007 | |
| Shahid Talebi Dam | Fars Province | 2.3 | Hydroelectric dam | 1994 | In operation |
| Yasuj Chain Dam | Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province | 16.8 | Hydroelectric dam | 2005 | Being upgraded to 25 MW |
| Shahid Azimi Dam | ? | 1 | Hydroelectric dam | In operation | |
| Piran Dam | Kermanshah Province | 8.4 | Hydroelectric dam | 2011 | In operation |
| Jiroft Dam | Kerman Province | 85 | Hydroelectric dam | 1993 | |
| Seimareh Dam | Ilam Province & Lorestan Province | 480 | Hydroelectric dam | 2013 | In operation |
| Rudbar Lorestan Dam | Lorestan Province | 450 | Hydroelectric dam | 2017[102] | In operation |
| Manjil Dam | Gīlān Province | 87 | Hydroelectric dam | 1962 | |
| Sardasht Dam | West Azerbaijan | 150 | Hydroelectric dam | 2018[103] | |
| Khoda Afrin Dam | East Azerbaijan | 102 | Hydroelectric dam | 2010 | On border with disputed territories |
| Zayanderud Dam | Isfahan Province | 55 | Hydroelectric dam | 1971 | |
| Rais Ali Dilavari Dam | Bushehr Province | 70 | Hydroelectric dam | 2008 | |
| Mulla Sadra Dam | Fars Province | 100 | Hydroelectric dam | 2007 | |
| Doroodzan Dam | Fars Province | 10 | Hydroelectric dam | 1973 | |
| Marun Dam | Khuzestan | 151 | Hydroelectric dam | 1976 | |
| Talaqan Dam | Qazvin Province | 18 | Hydroelectric dam | 2006 | |
| Gavoshan Dam | Kurdistan Province | 11 | Hydroelectric dam | 2004 | |
| Upper Gotvand Dam | Khuzestan Province | 1,000 | Hydroelectric dam | 2012, 2015 (?) | Phase 1 was operational in 2012. Phase 2 will add 1,000 MW.[104] |
| Daryan Dam | Kermanshah Province | 210 | Hydroelectric dam | 2018 | Operational |
| Salman Farsi Dam | Fars Province | 13 | Hydroelectric dam | 2009 | |
| Ardeh Dam | Gilan Province | 0.125 | Run-of-the-river | 1991 | The hydroelectric plant is not connected to the national grid. |
| Darreh Takht Power Plant | Lorestan Province | 1.6 | Run-of-the-river | 1986, 2000 | Operational[105] [106] |
| Micro Power Plants | 227 | Run-of-the-river | 2004 | Operational; five power plants nationwide[107] | |
| Name | Location | data-sort-type="number" | Capacity | Type | Operational | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakhtiari Dam | Lorestān Province | 1,500 | Hydroelectric dam | 2018(??) | The dam is currently under construction. Upon completion it is going to become the world's tallest dam, with a height of 325 meters. | |
| Iran–Turkmenistan Friendship Dam | Border of Iran & Turkmenistan | 16 | Hydroelectric dam | The dam is operational since 2005. Installation of power units on the dam is being negotiated between the two countries.[108] | ||
| Khersan-3 Dam | Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari | 400 | Hydroelectric dam | 2015(??) | Under construction | |
| Joreh Dam | Khuzestan Province | 48 | Hydroelectric dam | 2011(??) | Under construction | |
| Sarrud Dam | 65 | Hydroelectric dam | Under construction | |||
| Tarik Dam | Gilan Province | 2.8 | Hydroelectric dam | 2016(??) | Dam is operational since 1977, power station is being constructed | |
| Zayanderud Regulatory Dam | Isfahan Province | 8.5 | Hydroelectric dam | Under construction | ||
| Aras Watershed Dam | Meghri | 260 | Hydroelectric dam | 2017(??) | Under construction | |
| Zalaki Dam | 466 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Liro Dam | 324 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Sezar 4-1 Dam | 265 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Dez 3-1 Dam | 930 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Hajghalandar Dam | 80 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Chambastan Dam | 135 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Namarestagh Dam | 33.5 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Sardabrud Dam | 20 | Run-of-the-river | Feasibility studies completed in 2009 | |||
| Gulestan Dam | 5.6 | Run-of-the-river | Feasibility studies completed in 2009 | |||
| Pir Taghi Dam | 240 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Namhil Dam | 496 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility studies completed | |||
| Pavehrud Dam | 250 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility studies completed | |||
| Kalat Dam | 292 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Khersan-2 Dam | 580 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Khersan-1 Dam | 2,638 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Bazaft Dam | 240 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Karun-3 Axis-3 Dam | 1,458 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Karun-5 Dam | 560 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Karun-2 Axis-8 Dam | 1,000 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Garsha Godar Pir Dam | 200 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Karun Buran Dam | 284 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Tang Mashure Dam | 167 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Sazbon Dam | 375 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Karkheh-2 Dam | 118 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study | |||
| Sazbon Jadid Axis-2 Dam | 300 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility studies completed | |||
| Dez Regulator Dam | Khuzestan Province | 28 | Hydroelectric dam | Feasibility study |
| Name | Location | Capacity | Type | Operational | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siah Bishe Pumped Storage Power Plant | Mazandaran Province | Output: 1,040 MW; input: 940 MW | Pumped-storage hydroelectricity | 2013-2015[109] | |
| Ilam Pump Storage Dam | Ilam Province | Output: 1,000 MW | Pumped-storage hydroelectricity | Feasibility study | |
| Azad Dam | Kurdistan Province | 10 MW; regeneration: 500 MW | Hydroelectric dam / pumped-storage hydroelectricity | 2014 | Operational |
See also: Nuclear program of Iran and Nuclear facilities in Iran.
| Name | Location | Capacity (MW) | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR-40 | Arak | 40 | Heavy water reactor | NA | This is a thermal reactor designed to produce power and isotopes. It is Iran's first indigenously built nuclear reactor. | |
| Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant | Darkhovin | 360 | Heavy water reactor | NA | Construction of Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant began in 2008. It is to be built based on indigenous technologies developed for IR-40, and is scheduled to come online in 2016. |
With about 300 clear sunny days a year and an average of 2,200 kilowatt-hour solar radiation per square meter, Iran has a great potential to tap solar energy.[111]
| Name | Location | Capacity | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yazd solar thermal power plant | Yazd | 17 MW | Integrated solar combined cycle | 2009 | Yazd solar thermal power plant is the world's first integrated solar combined cycle power station using natural gas and solar energy. It is the largest solar power plant in the Middle East and the eighth largest in the world. | |
| Shiraz solar power plant | Shiraz | 250 KW | Concentrating solar power | 2009 | Shiraz solar power plant is Iran's first solar power station. It is currently being upgraded to 500 kW. | |
| Mashhad Solar Power Plant | Mashhad | 432 KW | 2011 | 36.2713°N 59.6508°W | ||
| Malard 365 KW Solar Power Plant | Malard | 365 KW | PV solar power plant | 2014 | Malard Solar Power Plant is the largest grid-tide solar power plant in Iran by the Atrin Parsian Solar and Biomass Co. | |
| Hamedan | Hamedan, Iran | 14 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | 100 MW capacity of renewable energy power plants which were planned to be installed by the private sector in 206-2017, for the moment 50 MW are under construction and the rest will be completed by the end of March 2017[112] | |
| Isfahan | Isfahan, Iran | 10 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | Isfahan - Jarghoyeh Sofla[113] | |
| Arak | Arak, Iran | 1 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | [114] | |
| Abhar Razi Power Plant | Abhar, Ian | 110 KV | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | Abhar Razi solar power plant is Iran's first private sector power plant. It's currently being upgraded to 7 MW. | |
| Mahan | Kerman | 20 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | [115] |
| Name | Location | Capacity (MW) | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qazvin PV Solar Power Plant | Qazvin, Iran | 1000 | Photovoltaic power station | 2025-2026 | It will be an array of 100 PV solar power stations, each with a nominal capacity of 100MW.[116] | |
| Hamedan | Hamedan, Iran | 100 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | 100 MW capacity of renewable energy power plants which were planned to be installed by the private sector in 206-2017, for the moment 50 MW are under construction and the rest will be completed by the end of March 2017 | |
| Isfahan | Isfahan, Iran | 50 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2017 | Isfahan - Jarghoyeh Sofla | |
| Mahan | kerman | 100 MW | Photovoltaic power station | 2018 | Kerman - Mahan[130] |
See also: Wind power in Iran.
| Name | Location | Capacity | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binalood wind farm | Razavi Khorasan Province | 28.2 MW | Onshore wind farm | 2008 | The wind farm uses 43 units of 660 kW·h. It is currently being upgraded to 93 turbine units with a total capacity of 61.2 MWh. | |
| Manjil and Rudbar Wind Farm | Gilan Province | 100.8 MW | Onshore wind farm | 1994 | The wind farm uses 171 units of 300-660 kW·h turbines. It was the first wind farm in Iran. | |
| Kahak wind farm(MAPNA Renewable Generation Company) | Qazvin Province | 55 MW | Onshore wind farm | 2014 | The wind farm uses 10 units of 2500 kW. It is currently being developed to 40 turbine units with a total capacity of 100 MW. | |
| Tarom (Siahpoush) wind farm(Arian Mah Baad co.) | Qazvin Province | 200 MW | Onshore wind farm | 2018 | Currently in first phase, 18 WTGs (each unit capacity is 3400 kW) were installed with a total capacity of 61.2 MW. |
| Name | Location | Capacity | Type | Operational | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qazvin hydrogen power plant | Qazvin Province | 200 KW | Photoelectrochemical cell / fuel cell | 2009 | The plant is based on the idea of hydrogen economy, using photoelectrochemical cells to produce hydrogen for electricity generation in fuel cells. | |
| Shahid Esmaili power plant | Tehran Province | 7 MW | Combined heat & power (CHP) system | CHP is a system that involves the recovery of waste heat from power generation to form useful energy for other purposes such as heating. The system increases the efficiency of the power plant to more than 1.5 times that of traditional power plants. |
In addition to the above power plants, there was 1800 MW cumulative installed capacity in 2011, which belonged to small scale decentralized power plants, some of which were not connected to the national grid, and many being privately built and run. This capacity is planned for increase to more than 10,000 MW with emphasis on renewable energy and trigeneration. Similarly there was 418 MW of capacity belonging to diesel generator based plants supplying hard to reach areas.[117] [118] [119] [120] [121]