Search

Iran's energy system is extremely dependent on fossil fuels which, in turn, have led to problems such as fossil fuels depletion, social, economic and environmental damage and territorial imbalance. The country should therefore design a sustainable energy system based on clean energy a s well as renewable energy. Accordingly, and given that Iran's rural areas suffer from the unsustainable energy system, it is necessary to integrate renewable energy into comprehensive development programs in general, and into rural development programs, specifically. This review paper answers the following questions: Why is renewable energy important for Iran at national and rural levels? How is renewable energy related to sustainable rural development? and What are the challenges in the promotion of renewable energy technologies in Iran? The paper concludes that although renewable energy has potential for development in Iran's rural areas due to environmental, social and economic advantages, it could face some infrastructural, managerial, socio-cultural and economic challenges. Accordingly, aggressive and innovative policy making is required to meet these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever increasing rate of energy consumption, limited fossil fuels and pollution have made the expansion of renewable resources essential. Due to the suitable solar potential available in Iran, the use of solar energy has been developed more than other renewable resources. In this paper, photovoltaic (PV) panels are hybridized with battery banks and the power grid to provide electricity for 100 residential units and by performing a techno-economic-environmental analysis on the use of different solar tracking systems PV power generation is maximized. The final aim of this paper is to find the optimum scenario for reaching the highest efficiency along with emissions that are within the standard range. Also, the effect of grid sell back on the results is estimated and a sensitivity analysis is performed to generalize the results for other economic and climate conditions. Results show that the use of the solar tracking system significantly reduces the number of needed panels, but this size reduction is not always cost-effective due to the high cost of tracking units. The vertical tracking system indicated the best cost-efficiency with 0.241 $/kWh cost of energy and an average of 23% improvement on the output power. Although the dual-axis tracker improved power production by 32%, it was less cost-efficient. Sensitivity analysis indicated that with 33% renewable fraction and slightly different initial costs, the optimum cost of energy will vary from 0.227 to 0.255 $/kWh. • A grid-connected photovoltaic-battery system is optimized in different climates. • Techno-enviro-economic comparison of different solar tracking systems is done. • Residential demand at a standard level of CO 2 production is provided. • Vertical tracker is the most cost-effective system with 0.241 $/kWh cost of energy. • Power production is improved by 23%, compared to the without tracking scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since the beginning of the last century, energy affairs have always been taken into global consideration due to their effects on economies, policies, security and the environment. Fossil fuels have been the first recourse for global energy supply needs (80% of total energy consumption); nonetheless, owing to the production of greenhouse gases, they are gradually being replaced with renewable energy resources. In addition, renewable energy resources are perpetual, unlike fossil fuels, which may be exhausted in less than one century. From 2005 to 2010 (coinciding with Iran's fourth development program), renewable energy resources enjoyed a double-digit global growth rate as a result of environmentally friendly perception and a reduction in equipment price. Some policies and strategies were globally adopted to support renewable energy resources (Feed-In-Tariff, subsidies, etc.). Iran began utilizing renewable resources from the early 1990s and set targets and policies for renewable energy resource utilization in the fourth development program. However, Iran's trend has not aligned with global trends, and it appears that its enormous fossil fuel reserves overshadow the growth of renewable energy resources in the country. In this paper, the status, achievements and policies of Iran during the fourth development program will be discussed and compared with global trends. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]