Iraq moves towards renewable energy
Solar panels used to produce renewable energy at the photovoltaic park in Cestas, southwestern France. Photo: Reuters
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq is moving towards renewable energy to make it a reliable source of power to meet the growing needs of the country.
Iraq, which suffers from a major drought crisis as a result of global warming and climate change, is seeking to move towards clean energy, especially solar energy, which abounds in the country, particularly during the burning summer when the temperature reaches 50 degrees Celsius.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, expressed Baghdad’s interest in investing in renewable energy due to its importance in the energy system and to face climate challenges that threaten the environment in most of the world, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
Al-Sudani’s statement took place during his meeting with a delegation from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), headed by the director of the regional program for the Middle East and North Africa at IRENA, Zuhair Hamdi.
Al-Sudani explained that the Iraqi government will spare no effort to issue the legislation required to accelerate the transition towards renewable energy, especially with the availability of great capabilities in this field.
Iraq began taking actual steps to establish renewable energy systems based on solar energy. On March 12, the Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, announced that Iraq had signed a contract for a new solar energy project expected to produce 1,000 megawatts as part of the government’s investment goals.
The Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, revealed that Saudi investors are working on the construction of the first clean energy project in Iraq as part of the government’s plan for 2023, indicating that the project will be carried out in Najaf governorate in central Iraq.
Fadel said in a statement in mid-April that the ministry’s plan for next summer aims to reach a production rate of 24,000 megawatts.
A few days ago, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced that Iraq’s electricity production exceeded 24,000 megawatts, a step it described as unprecedented.