Enhancing role of renewable energy in national energy supply in Iran

Renewable Energy Potential

Iran is uniquely positioned to harness its abundant natural resources and transition toward a more sustainable energy future. With over 300 sunny days a year, the country is ideally suited for large-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plants and solar electricity generation. According to SATBA’s resource assessments, Iran has the capacity to produce over 20,000 megawatts (MW) of wind energy and 800 MW of biomass energy. These rich solar and wind resources have the potential to reshape the nation’s energy landscape and position Iran as a renewable energy leader in the Middle East. As highlighted in presentations such as Dr. Andrew Blaker’s, the global energy race has been won by solar and wind energy and Iran has a competitive edge in this race for sustainable energy. 

Economic Benefits

However, the transition to renewable energy is about much more than resource potential. It’s about driving economic growth, creating jobs, and fostering a just transition that benefits communities and empowers future generations. As noted in UNDP-Sustainable Energy Hub’s presentations, investing USD 1 million in renewable energy creates nearly three times as many jobs as the same investment in fossil fuels. With approximately 233,000 engineering graduates annually, Iran has the potential to create 450,000 jobs through the development of 10 GW of renewable energy capacity. As the UNDP-Iran presentation explained, these jobs span sectors such as energy systems engineering, solar panel production, wind turbine manufacturing, energy storage analysis, and environmental science. 

Let me also look at this from a human development perspective: clean air, equitable access to energy even in the most remote areas of this huge country, and of course positive impact on climate change and environmental degradation – all of these can be effects of a just transition towards renewable energy. 

Challenges and Opportunities in the Transition

The SATBA Vision 2031 lays out an ambitious plan to increase Iran’s renewable energy capacity to 30,000 MW by 2030. Achieving this goal will not only diversify Iran’s energy mix but also create green jobs and reduce environmental degradation. To realize this vision, we must address key action points, including policy reform, infrastructure investment, and capacity building.

Discussions emphasized the need for reforming energy subsidies to incentivize renewable investments, and the importance of grid integration technologies like energy storage and smart grids to manage the variability of solar and wind power. Advanced technologies such as pumped storage hydro and battery systems will be crucial for stabilizing the grid and ensuring a reliable energy supply. Iran's vast potential in pumped hydro exceeds the need when it comes to supporting a fully 100% solar and wind energy -dependent grid.

To me, the key actions for Iran:

• Leverage data-driven analysis to define the most efficient and actionable opportunities for renewable energy deployment.
• Identify optimal investment opportunities to accelerate renewable energy projects.
• Integrate energy strategies within Iran’s broader socio-economic context.
• Foster Public-Private Partnerships to mobilize resources and accelerate renewable energy development.

International cooperation will also be essential in accelerating this transition. By partnering with organizations like UNDP, UNIDO, IRENA, and others, Iran can access the financing, technology, and expertise necessary to scale up its renewable energy projects. Innovative and market-based mechanisms such as thematic bonds, carbon finance, debt swaps, and blended finance offer excellent opportunities to secure the resources needed to meet these ambitious targets. 

By inviting and initiating international collaboration and partnerships including with Member States, regional organisations and leading global universities, Iran would be able to better access financing, transfer of technical expertise and knowhow. Iran should also look into sharing learnings and best practices such as the Green Energy Market with other countries.

Conclusion

In closing, I am confident that Iran has all the ingredients to succeed in this energy transition—abundant resources, a strong economic case, and a capable workforce. Now, it is up to all of us—across government, private sector, and international partners—to work together and turn these discussions into meaningful action. By doing so, we can secure a greener, more sustainable, and prosperous future for Iran.

The United Nations is fully committed to supporting Iran on this journey, and we look forward to witnessing the transformative impact of the initiatives we’ve discussed.

Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to continued collaboration as we move toward a brighter, cleaner energy future.

I thank the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for there good collaboration to organize this meeting, the presenters for your excellent in-person and virtual presentations and all the participants for their engagement to ensure a vibrant interaction. 

Thank you