BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 25. Iran has simplified the licensing process for investors in solar power plants, while also streamlining infrastructure development and reducing the time required to establish new facilities, according to an energy official.
The announcement was made by Ali Ghassaminejad, an official of the Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency Organization of Iran, who said the changes were implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Energy of Iran and the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran.
He said the agencies have expanded coordination under a framework that establishes special zones and industrial parks dedicated to solar power projects, helping streamline investment procedures.
Ghassaminejad said bureaucratic obstacles related to licensing, land allocation and grid connection were addressed as part of the reform process. Under the new model, infrastructure — including electricity grid connections — is prepared in advance within designated solar zones.
As a result, both individual and corporate investors can apply directly to industrial parks or the renewable energy organization to obtain permits more quickly and begin construction.
He said the initiative was first introduced on a pilot basis in solar parks in Qazvin, South Khorasan, and Kerman provinces, where investor demand quickly filled available capacity. Lower land costs and pre-built infrastructure were cited as key factors behind the strong interest.
Under an agreement between the energy and industry ministries, land allocated for solar projects is being offered to investors at minimal cost along with supporting services, he said.
Iran has been working in recent years to expand solar capacity as part of efforts to address electricity shortages during peak summer demand.
As of April 20, Iran’s installed solar power generation capacity stood at 4.07 gigawatts, while total solar electricity generation reached 7.13 gigawatt-hours, according to official figures.
