This 2012 video shows that Iran was already exploring cleaner energy two years ago. Iran may be an oil producing state that is at odds with the West over its desire to exploit its nuclear options, but the country is also investing in renewable energy and solar power in particular. In May 2014, Iran approved the allocation of €500 million from national development fund for renewable energy projects. Iran is diversifying its energy portfolio a necessity.and this includes growing amounts of investment in solar and wind. As reported in Cleantechnica earlier this year, Iranian Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian announced plans to increase Iran’s solar and wind portfolio by 5,000 MW by 2018. This is an ambitious undertaking when you consider that Iran is currently producing only 200 megawatts for photovoltaic solar.
The Iranian government has allocated $60m this year to develop photovoltaic solar projects compared to just $12m last year. Large scale solar projects have been implemented under President Hassan Rouhani. One such project is located in the arid hills of rural Iran. The Taleghan Renewable Energy Site, 160 kilometres northwest of Tehran, has photovoltaic solar panels and parabolic trough collectors that concentrate the sunlight for energy conversion into electricity.
Iran is ideally suited to solar energy as it gets an average of 300 days of sunshine a year. Solar is also a great way to power rural Iran The government is offering subsidies for on-site (distributed) solar panel installation to ordinary families. Solar panels have been installed at some 1,000 locations across Iran, including the on rooftops of mosques, schools and government buildings.
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