Alternative Energy Iran: Windpower for the North West

Iran has been carrying out a set of expert-level studies to set up seven wind power plants in three northwestern provinces.

If the results of the studies confirm that the target regions are fine for the purpose, the projects will be immediately started under private sector management.

Arastou Sadeqi, the director of the wind and water energies department in the Iran New Energies Organization had earlier said that “the government has removed basic problems on the way of investors and therefore several domestic and foreign companies have applied to subcontract these projects.”

He stated that 17 wind measuring stations equipped with 40-meter height masts have been installed in Gilan and Azarbaijan provinces each of which cost the government about $15,000 in investment.

With a youthful population of nearly 70 million and a fast-growing economy, energy consumption is rising by around 7 percent annually. Iran estimates that it may need capacity to generate some 90 GW by 2020, from about 31 GW at present.

About three quarters of current electricity needs come from gas-fired power stations, and the rest from hydroelectricity or oil.