Iraq has allocated 140 sites for the construction of solar power plants to support the national electricity grid, the official Iraqi News Agency has reported.

The National Team for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Projects announced the allocation of the sites across the country.

Team leader Naseer Karim said:”The procedures for allocating more than 140 plots of land in various governorates for the construction of investment-oriented solar power plants have been completed."

He added, "The cabinet approved the allocation of these sites and the mechanism for launching investment projects on them. These projects will be implemented in districts and sub-districts due to their proximity to power load centres."

He noted that the sites include all areas surrounding Baghdad, as well as Al-Nahrawan, Al-Nasr, Al-Salam, Al-Hamamiyat, Al-Taji, Al-Husayniyah, and others.

These are non-agricultural lands that were selected in coordination with electricity distribution branches and real estate authorities, he added.

"These plants will support the national grid during the day, with the possibility of storing energy via giant batteries for distribution at night through 11 kV lines….the cost of energy production using these plants is very low, approximately one-third of the cost of production on the conventional grid."

 (Writing by N Saeed; Editing by Anoop Menon) (anoop.menon@lseg.com)

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