TEHRAN- An official, announcing that the country's renewable power plant capacity has surpassed 5,400 MW, stated: If equipment, foreign currency, and financial resources are provided, the target of exceeding 7,000 MW by the end of summer will be achieved.

According to Mehr News Agency, Jafar Mohammadnejad Sigaroudi, Deputy for Investment at the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA), said on Monday, July 20, on the sidelines of 10th edition of the International Iran Renewable Energy Conference and in a gathering of reporters: The installed capacity of the country's renewable power plants has exceeded 5,400 MW, and SATBA's plan remains to achieve over 7,000 MW of capacity by the end of summer.

He added: Despite the limitations in supplying equipment, especially imported equipment, we are trying to make this plan a reality, and if obstacles are removed, the capacity of renewable power plants will reach even higher figures.

Mohammadnejad Sigaroudi stated that currently between 1,000 and 1,500 MW of renewable power plants are under construction, and said: The bulk of the equipment for these projects has already been supplied or is being supplied domestically, and this very issue increases the likelihood of achieving the development plans. Any potential delay is due to shortages of equipment and foreign currency.

The Deputy for Investment at SATBA emphasized: If the development plans face delays, the cause is not technical issues; because permits, contracts, and site selections for the projects have been carried out across the country. Rather, the most important challenges are equipment supply, financing, and foreign currency allocation for equipment imports.

He added: The bulk of the processes for issuing permits, land allocation, and grid connection have been delegated to the provinces since the second half of last year, and this has resolved many administrative obstacles. A permit for selling electricity from branch power plants on the Energy Exchange has been issued.

Mohammadnejad Sigaroudi announced the issuance of a permit for selling electricity from branch power plants through aggregators on the Green Board of the Energy Exchange and said: This permit was obtained last week and will be communicated soon.

He explained: Accordingly, owners of residential, commercial, administrative, and agricultural solar power plants can offer their generated electricity through licensed companies on the Energy Exchange; a model that is implemented in many countries around the world and provides the ground for the participation of micro-capital.

The Deputy for Investment at SATBA also reported the request for allocating $600 million in foreign currency to supply equipment for renewable power plants and said: This request was submitted to the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade after reviewing the applicants' files, and it has been promised that between $100 to $150 million in foreign currency will be allocated to this sector monthly.

He added: SATBA, in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Trade, will oversee the currency allocation so that foreign currency resources are allocated only to licensed projects, approved equipment, and standard prices, and to prevent any misuse.

The 10th edition of the International Iran Renewable Energy Conference and Exhibition, held alongside the 7th National Renewable Energy Award ceremony, is being held on July 20–21 at the Milad Tower International Conference Center.

Given the transition of renewable energy from an "alternative option" to one of the "main pillars of the country's energy planning," this event is designed to provide a specialized platform for interaction among policymakers, industries, investors, knowledge-based companies, and the academic community.

The rapid expansion of solar power plants, the successful formation of a green electricity market, and the legal requirements mandating the supply of industrial electricity from clean sources indicate that the industry has entered a phase of growth and maturity—a development that will be specifically examined during this event.

Held in collaboration with the Iran Renewable Energy Association and the Energy Committee of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, and with the support of the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology, the conference focuses on key themes including the development of the green electricity market, the requirements and opportunities arising from Article 16 of the Law on the Leap in Knowledge‑Based Production, the role of industries in developing renewable power plants, energy storage technologies, project financing, and the localization of innovative technologies.

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