Calls grow for Iran to use coal for electricity generation

Calls have grown for Iran to tap its large coal reserves to generate electricity amid a shortage of liquid fuels at the country’s power plants that has forced the government to introduce brief power cuts in large cities.

The semi-official Fars news agency said in a Monday report that Iranian businesses and industries have been pressing the government to revise its energy policies to give coal a share in the country’s electricity generation mix.

The report came a day after Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in an address to lawmakers in the legislature that Iran should start using coal for electricity generation.

Ghalibaf said that despite having 1.2 billion metric tons of coal reserves, the share of the fuel in Iran’s electricity generation is almost zero.

A parliament lawmaker told Fars News that Iran should diversify its electricity generation mix to reduce its dependence on natural gas.

Mostafa Nakha’ei, a member of the parliament’s energy commission, said that coal is responsible for nearly a third of global electricity production, adding that developing countries like Russia and China are heavily dependent on coal for their electricity supplies despite having plans to expand their renewable energy sector.

Iran has signed the Paris climate agreement which stipulates that countries should gradually phase out using fossil fuels.

However, the Iranian parliament has yet to approve the agreement as people are concerned about its long-term implications for the country’s energy security.

Iran relies on natural gas for 90% of its electricity production. However, power plants are strained in cold months of the year when they receive lower gas supplies because of rising demand for heating in the country.

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