Ali Rabani, Director of Energy Optimization at the National
Petrochemical Company (NPC), told NIPNA that a basket of initiatives has been
launched to increase energy efficiency, including the deployment of modern
technologies and artificial intelligence.
“We have begun monitoring 20% of industry equipment responsible for
80% of energy use. This is yielding positive results,” he said, adding that
flare gas recovery and upstream investments are also part of the strategy.
Rabani said Iran’s petrochemical industry, which is heavily gas-based,
is shifting towards integrating renewable energy alongside conventional
sources.
“While gas remains the backbone of electricity, utilities, and
feedstock in the sector, we are committed to targeted use of renewables,” he
noted.
Under Article 16 of national energy policy, the petrochemical sector
is committed to generating 10 MW of renewable energy. Rabani said that the
sector has already developed five times that capacity.
“Plans are underway to add over 2,000 MW of renewable energy, with 400
MW set to be connected to the grid by year-end,” he added.
Rabani also confirmed the industry's entry into wind energy in
addition to solar, saying technical studies and pilot actions are in progress.
Due to the intermittent nature of renewables, the produced energy must
be supplied to the national grid, with the industry drawing from the grid as needed,
he said.
He added that about 600 MWh of surplus electricity from combined cycle
power plants in the industry is already being fed into the national grid.
“Of the planned 400 MW in renewables, 70 MW will be ready for grid
connection by late June, pending regulatory clearance,” Rabani concluded.