National renewable capacity to reach to 4,000 MW by March
Iran aims to increase its national renewable energy capacity to 4,000 megawatts by March 2026, according to the head of the country’s Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution Management Company (Tavanir).
Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi stated in an IRNA interview, "Renewable capacity has risen to approximately 2,000MW, up from last year’s 1,300MW."
Rajabi Mashhadi affirmed that planned measures and ongoing initiatives will boost national renewable capacity to 4,000 MW by March 2026.
The government had granted all administrative departments a deadline - effective June 21 - to supply part of their required electricity from solar energy.
Rajabi Mashhadi underscored these projects’ role in reducing grid imbalances, noting, "Privately developed 5kW rooftop plants will substantially augment national supply capacity."
He further noted, "These 5kW plants are installed on residential rooftops and can meet required electricity demand."
Meanwhile, Iran’s Vice President for Rural and Deprived Area Development proposed that provincial authorities establish solar farms in villages to generate income and incentivize rural population retention.
Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh stated on Thursday, "Solar plants in villages can address both energy imbalance and income issues," suggesting cooperatives could facilitate village solar farm development.
Tehran's key solar plant nears launch
Meanwhile, Tehran’s largest solar power plant will commence operations imminently, according to Farhad Shabihi, CEO of Tehran Regional Electric Company.
In an IRNA interview, Shabihi confirmed the project has entered its final implementation phase, "Accelerated progress ensures this facility will soon support grid stability."
He emphasized the plant is part of Iran’s national 3,000MW renewable program, which involves constructing 1,000 decentralized 3MW plants under centralized management.
"The company’s objective extends beyond power generation to rapidly addressing grid imbalances and reducing strain on the national network – a goal visibly materializing in less than six months," he added.
Shabihi further highlighted, "The construction of Tehran Regional Electric’s 3.6MW plant represents one of the most unique implementation experiences. Merely one day after its official groundbreaking ceremony (February 6, 2025), it immediately transitioned to operational phase."
Next-generation solar panels
Regarding technical specifications, Shabihi explained that the company utilizes "new-generation 595W N-type bifacial dual-glass panels for each module, domestically manufactured.”
"Over six full panel rows are already installed. Site excavation, foundation work, and concrete pouring are fully completed," he said.
The CEO pointed to the project’s installation of Tehran’s first solar energy storage system as a notable aspect, stating, "We are negotiating with a specialized energy storage firm. If agreed, this will be Tehran’s first industrial-scale solar battery installed as a pilot on this plant – marking a significant stride toward maximizing solar energy utilization."