Iran lagging in coal power use despite vast reserves: Mining official
Iran has substantial coal reserves but generates almost no electricity from the fossil fuel, a senior mining official said on Sunday, even as global coal power output is projected to grow 10% by 2040.
Mohammad Masoud Samieinejad, head of the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization, said Iran’s coal resources are largely metallurgical in nature and are primarily used in steel production rather than power generation.
“Iran has a notable geological position in coal, but this capacity has not yet been fully exploited,” Samieinejad told ISNA. “Iran's share of electricity generation from coal is almost zero.”
According to Samieinejad, proven coal reserves stand at about 1.4 billion tons, with probable reserves of 14 billion tons. Annual coal extraction currently reaches 3.5 million tons, which is processed into 1.7 million tons of concentrate – nearly all consumed by the domestic steel industry.
Globally, coal remains a major power source. Citing the International Energy Agency (IEA), the official noted that coal-fired generation is expected to rise from 9.41 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2015 to 10.39 trillion kWh by 2040 – a 10% increase. China and India, the world's top coal consumers, are projected to use 4.34 billion and 1.22 billion tons respectively in 2025.
"The International Energy Agency (IPCC) states that to limit global warming to two degrees or less, coal use without carbon capture and storage must be rapidly reduced," he said. The World Bank and WHO have also highlighted the health and economic advantages of cleaner energy alternatives, the deputy minister of industry, mine and trade added.
He said the country plans to develop its coal sector on a smaller scale. Under the country's Seventh Development Plan, Samieinejad said coal concentrate output should reach 2 million tons, and metallurgical coke capacity 2.1 million tons by the plan's end.
"Productivity increases, mechanization, and mine safety enhancement are among the most important strategies for this sector," he said, adding that reviving idle mines and moving away from traditional mining methods are also priorities.
Iran’s total installed power generation capacity exceeds 100,000 megawatts, with thermal power plants accounting for the majority of output. Hydropower, renewables such as wind and solar, and nuclear energy make up smaller shares of the mix.