Iran to Add CCGTs, Boost Renewables

Iran is planning to add 12 gas-fired power plants to the national grid by the end of this fiscal year (March 20, 2016).

And renewables are also to grow, according to a weekly report, released by the energy ministry on April 14. At present it has 235 MW of installed renewable capacity, but the figure is planned to rise by 492 MW to 727 MW by the same date. Iran's power generation sector uses a third of the country's total refined gas. In the last fiscal year, it used some 58bn m³ up by 16.1% year-on-year.

The country's total power generation capacity stands at about 74 GW, of which 83% is thermal power plants.

Iran hasn't improved the efficiency of thermal power plants for some years, despite plans for converting the thermal power plants to combined-cycle gas turbines (CCGT), which are more efficient than today’s, which average just 37%.

During the first two weeks of spring, which started on March 21, they used 1.4bn m³ of natural gas, about 5.5% less than the same period in last year.

The country used 91% more diesel in power generation, 21mn litres, while heavy fuel-oil (mazut) demand fell by 38% to 76mn litres during this period.

Replacing liquid fuels in power generation would mean burning about 70bn m³ /yr.

Last year, gas supplied about 80% percent of needed fuel for power sector.

During last year, above 279 billion kWh of electricity was generated in Iran, of which the net exports stood at 5.5 billion kWh.

Table: Iran’s fuel use for power generation

Iran desk