TEHRAN, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The installation of rooftop photovoltaic panels will bring income for unprivileged families in northeastern Iran, Eghtesad Online news website reported Tuesday.
A total of 2,000 rooftop photovoltaic panels, each with a capacity of five kilowatts, will be set up for underprivileged families in North Khorasan Province by the end of the next Iranian calendar in March 2021, Alireza Sabouri, managing director of North Khorasan Electric Distribution Company said.
Sabouri said that the plan is also aimed at expanding clean energy use and generation in the region.
According to Sabouri, the Iranian Energy Ministry has guaranteed the purchase of electricity generated by all renewable sources for 20 years.
The ministry has planned to set up 18,000 more of five-kilowatt solar installations in other provinces with an investment of 52 million U.S. dollars.
It is encouraging for both companies and households to generate their own solar power with a minimum investment, he said.
According to Eghtesad Online, Iran is overly dependent on thermal power, and renewables account for only 900 megawatts of the total annual output of 82,000 megawatts energy.
Expanding solar farms and rooftop photovoltaic power stations will help reduce consumption of fossil fuels and curb environmental pollutants in the country, it said.
