Iran opens 1800-MW solar panel plant

TABNAK: Iran launched its second indigenously-made solar panel factory with the capacity of 1800 MW annually.

The operation of the mentioned factory will increase Iran’s solar panel production capacity to 2,300 MW per year.

Iran ranks second in the region following Turkey in developing solar panel value chain. The factory located in Khomein City, central Iran, would pave the way for a jump in solar plants operation in the country.

Iran will be able to establish solar farms on 23,000 hectares of land every year in case it fully uses its solar panel production capacity.

Iranian Energy Ministry has put it on the agenda to add 10,000 MW to the capacity of the country’s renewable power plants by the end of the current government administration (August 2025).

Considering the fact that the country’s renewable power generation capacity stood at about 8,00 MW when the current government took office in August 2021, the mentioned increase in renewable energy capacity would mean a 13-fold rise.

Back in January 2022, the Energy Ministry and some of the country’s private contractors signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) for cooperation in the construction of new renewable power plants across Iran.

Renewables, including hydropower, account for nearly seven percent of the country’s total energy generation, versus natural gas’ 90 percent share.