Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Solar Country Notes

Iran (Islamic Republic)
According to the Iranian WEC Member Committee, the average  annual solar energy potential is about 6 570 MJ/m² or 1 825 kWh/m². Most areas in Iran record more than 300 days of sunshine, or over 2 800 hours, in a year.

Installed PV capacity at end-2005 is reported as 300 kW, with 2005 output amounting to 230 MWh. The capacity of solar heating systems is estimated to have been around 5 000 kW at the end of 2005.

Programmes for promoting the utilisation of solar energy fall into three categories:

• building up capacity, such as running university-level training courses, supporting and establishing research centres, encouraging manufacturers to produce the required equipment and systems;
• carrying out pilot projects by the Government, with the aim of clearing the ground for the private sector to come forward; 
• conducting potential assessment studies.

Solar projects include:

• a 17 MW solar thermal power plant, which  would be installed by 2009;
• 50 MW (or more than 1 million m² ) of solar water heaters by  2009;
• installation of several different types of PV systems;
• a pilot plant for a parabolic-trough solar thermal power plant, with a capacity of 250 kW;
• installation of PV systems in 40 isolated village households.