A memorandum of understanding, with a focus on energy cooperation, was signed between MAPNA Group and Iran Small Industries and Industrial Parks Organization (ISIPO) on July 10, 2024. The document was signed in a ceremony attended by MAPNA Group President Mohammad Owliya and Director of ISIPO Farshad Moghimi. They  emphasized the importance of providing sustainable electricity to the towns, industrial areas, and special zones managed by ISIPO. The memorandum outlines several solutions for ensuring a stable electricity supply to industrial units. These include leveraging the capacity of MAPNA  Group’s existing power plants, constructing small-scale and solar farms, and designing and implementing a software platform to facilitate an electricity supply and demand market among industries in industrial towns. Additional solutions detailed in the memorandum involve consulting on the construction and operation of renewable power plants, assisting with the completion, startup, and operation of inactive power plant units, conducting energy audits, implementing electricity consumption optimization plans, developing smart microgrids, and establishing a load control center for monitoring and intelligent management of electricity consumption. MAPNA President: MoU focuses on renewabls, energy efficiency, and effective distribution At the signing ceremony, Mohammed Owliya highlighted the practical nature of the document and reiterated MAPNA’s role as an energy producer and problem solver in this sector. He noted MAPNA Group’s experience in setting up distributed generation units and identified fuel guarantees and capital provision as critical conditions for the successful implementation of these initiatives. He also discussed MAPNA Group’s new strategy focused on addressing energy imbalances through renewable energy, energy efficiency, distribution, and transmission, emphasizing the conglomerate’s commitment to further developing these areas. He mentioned the upcoming launch of new renewable products by MAPNA Group and stressed that sustainable energy supply is a key component of the memorandum. Additionally, he highlighted the inclusion of energy efficiency and trade in the MoU, pointing out that monitoring, trading, and exchanging energy within the microgrids of industrial towns are part of the proposed solutions to address energy imbalances. Owliya also identified batteries and energy storage systems as crucial elements for providing sustainable electricity to industries. He noted that the MoU’s practical and experience-based approach focuses on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and effective distribution and transmission. Official: MAPNA Group strategic ally for energy needs For his part, ISIPO Farshad Moghimi expressed his gratitude for the cooperation with MAPNA Group. He noted that while industrial growth plans have primarily focused on technology updates and financing, it is crucial to address the issue of energy supply. Moghimi, who is also Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade, emphasized the necessity of partnering with MAPNA Group as a strategic ally for the energy needs of the industrial sector. He pointed out that investment in the energy sector has not kept pace with energy demand and stressed the importance of utilizing MAPNA Group’s development, research, and technology capacities as a specialized energy production hub. Highlighting the need for a comprehensive energy strategy, Moghimi mentioned the 840-megawatt capacity for distributed generation in industrial towns and the 200-megawatt investment potential in renewable and solar energy. He expressed optimism that the memorandum with MAPNA would ensure mutual benefits for all parties involved. Advisor suggests establishing joint company Mohammad Hassan Motevalizadeh, an advisor to MAPNA Group President, praised the memorandum for fostering integration and coordination between the two organizations, aiming to resolve the medium- and long-term challenges of electricity supply to industrial units. He suggested establishing a joint energy services company between MAPNA Group and ISIPO as a solution for sustainable electricity provision. Mahmoud Reza Haghifam, deputy head of MAPNA’s Power Unit in Transmission and Distribution (T&D), discussed the potential for MAPNA to act as a producer and seller of electricity (gentailer). He highlighted the capacity for implementing bilateral contracts between MAPNA  Group and industrial settlements and advocated for the use of microgrids as a comprehensive solution for sustainable electricity supply to industrial towns. Currently, over 52,000 industrial units operate in 860 towns, industrial zones, and special economic zones across the country, consuming approximately 3,600 megawatts of electricity. MAPNA Group, having the experience of launching 60% of the country’s power plants and owning power plants with an aggregate capacity of 13,000 MW, has the necessary technical and financial resources to provide, produce, and enhance the quality of reliable and stable electricity for these industrial units. MAPNA Group is currently engaged in constructing a 914 MW combined cycle power plant and launching a 600 MW solar power plant in collaboration with Mobarakeh Steel Company.

MAPNA-developed Mil Nader Wind Farm generated over 31 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in the Iranian calendar month of Khordad (May 21 – June 20, 2024). This production corresponds to an impressive capacity factor of 85.49%, setting a new record for onshore wind power plants globally, according to international statistics. Typical capacity factors of wind farms are between 25 and 45%. The plant’s output this month effectively avoided the combustion of approximately 7.6 million cubic meters of natural gas or 8.7 million liters of diesel. Additionally, this level of renewable energy generation prevented the emission of around 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. This record-breaking performance is attributed to the technical and engineering enhancements made by MAPNA Group. These improvements included modifications to the turbines to optimize power production in high ambient temperatures, thorough maintenance, efficient operations, and planning for the supply of consumables and spare parts ahead of the windy season. The region also benefited from favorable wind speeds. Mil Nader Wind Farm, with a 50 MW capacity, comprises 20 wind turbines, each with a 2.5 MW capacity. It is located 90 kilometers northwest of Zabul in Sistan and Baluchistan province, southeast Iran. The plant’s electricity is sold under a 20-year guaranteed purchase agreement with Iran’s Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA), and some of its output is traded on the Iran Energy Exchange (IRENEX). Previously, the highest capacity factor for wind farms was held by the Lake Turkana Wind Farm in Kenya, with a capacity factor of 75.8%.

MAPNA Group President Mohammad Owliya says the conglomerate will focus on a variety of energy-related issues in the near horizon, including energy efficiency and renewable energies. He made the statements while addressing the opening ceremony of the 32nd Annual International Conference of Iranian Society of Mechanical Engineering. The three-day conference opened on May 7, 2024, at Arak University of Technology, in Markazi Province. Global energy consumption is on the rise, leading to an annual increase of about 40 gigatons of greenhouse gases, which in turn raises the planet’s temperature, Owliya said. Consequently, the worldwide goal for 2050 is to achieve environmental sustainability, energy security, and energy affordability, he added. Iran produces two percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. However, steps have been taken to control this as outlined in the national documents, he noted. MAPNA is adopting strategies such as the use of renewables, storage solutions, smart grids, electrification, and carbon capture, he said, noting that in the water sector, the solutions are focusing on desalination, treatment, and the fundamental development of a circular economy, said the conglomerate’s president. “Looking ahead, MAPNA Group’s focus areas include digitization, energy efficiency, the water industry, electrification, alternative fuels, and renewable energy sources,” Owliya said.