An unnamed Italian company has signed an agreement to build a solar power plant in the southern province of Hormozgan in Iran
?The solar power station will have a power generating capacity of 100MW and require US$163mn in investment," Jasem Jaderi, provincial governor of Hormozgan, told IRNA news agency.
Jaderi made the statement following a visit at the head of a delegation to Italy?s southern region of Puglia to explore wide-ranging opportunities for collaboration and investment, including renewable energy. The Iranian mission also toured plants for manufacturing satellite, plane and train equipment in the region.
Jaderi said Michele Emiliano, president of the Puglia, is expected to travel to Hormozgan in October this year to follow up on bilateral agreements. If finalised, the solar venture with Italians will become the largest photovoltaic (PV) project in Iran to date.
International investors are increasingly looking at Iran as a strong market for renewable power projects.
?Foreign investors have submitted investment proposals, worth a total of US$3.6bn, to develop renewable projects in Iran,? Hamid Chitchian, Iran?s energy minister, had said earlier this month while inaugurating a 30-megawatt photovoltaic plant in Jajarm, North Khorasan Province.
PV projects are also being carried out in the cities of Arak, Isfahan and Hamedan, with a total output capacity of 10MW or lower.
Chitchian added that four other solar plants with 30MW output capacity are planned to be built in Jajarm and Esfarayen, southeast of North Khorasan.
Iran launched 14MW and 100MW of renewable capacity in its last two fiscal years respectively, while 800MW of new renewable capacity is under development.
Energy officials say the country?s total installed capacity of renewable energy production will reach 1,000MW by the end of the current fiscal year in March 2018.
