Saeed Tavakoli, deputy oil minister and head of
the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), told the closing ceremony of the “10%
Energy Consumption Reduction” campaign that the initiative showed how ordinary
citizens could play a decisive role in addressing energy imbalances.
“Iran faces an undeniable energy mismatch.
Consumption does not align with actual production, and in gas the imbalance is
even more severe,” Tavakoli said. Natural gas makes up 73% of Iran’s energy
basket, compared with a global average of 20–23% in power plants, he added.
He called for higher efficiency in power
generation, stricter enforcement of building codes to curb waste, and greater
use of renewables. Nearly all households are now connected to the gas grid, a
level of dependency he said was “unsustainable” without diversifying fuel use.
Tavakoli warned that structural inefficiencies –
from outdated equipment to heavily subsidised fuel prices – continue to drive
waste. “Every cubic metre of gas has value. It can generate high added value in
petrochemicals and steel, or it can simply be burned and lost,” he said.
The NIGC chief pointed to measures already under
way, including contracts for 1.7 million high-efficiency heaters, upgrades to
107,000 boiler rooms, and school-based awareness campaigns involving 200,000
students. He said these efforts showed the capacity for public participation
but stressed that long-term reform required recognising Iran’s energy intensity
far exceeds global norms.
“Only when we accept that we are consuming badly
can sustainable solutions emerge,” he said.