If Iran's leadership want to develop nuclear weapons, I'll support their right to do so, too, even though I find myself probably among a super-minority -- 0.01% or so -- of Japanese leftists who do so (Japanese leftists are reliably pacifist, so they don't support attacking Iran, but they are also reliably anti-nuke, generally opposed to nuclear power, too). But I do not believe that nuclear weapons are good enough deterrents for a nation in Iran's situation, in the US crosshairs, unless Iran also develops the sort of ICBMs that can threaten Mutually Assured Destruction with the USA. The only peoples who have truly good all-purpose nuclear deterrents, good for protection against superpowers as well as local nemeses, are the Americans, the Russians, and the Chinese. Surely Iranian leaders know that, and so do all thinking people.
Moreover, having read a great deal about Iran, including the state of its economy, especially about its oil industry and oil production and consumption trends, I think they have very good economic reasons, aside from nationalism, to think that nuclear power should be part of its energy portfolio, for the same reason that many other nations do. Muhammad Sahimi makes a case for that: "Forced to Fuel: Iran's Nuclear Energy Program," Energy 26.4, Winter 2005, <http://hir.harvard.edu/articles/1294/>.
Iran, however, ought to advertise its wind and solar programs as much as its nuclear program. It will help re-brand Iran.
Wind power in Iran has been experiencing a growth in wind generation in recent years, and has a plan to substantially increase wind generation each year.
In 2006, Iran generated 45 megawatts of electricity from wind power (ranked 30th in the world). This was a 50% increase over 32 megawatts in 2005. Total wind generation in 2004 was 25 megawatts.
Iran is a member of the Global Wind Energy Council <http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2610/html/focus.htm> Iran has also started to shift its attention towards development of alternative sources of energy supply such as wind power.
That is why the main policy of the Energy Ministry has been and still is to support major studies and investments in modern energy supply sources. It has in recent years conducted extensive research works to this end and has made adequate investments in wind-generated electricity.
The goals of renewable energy development at the Energy Ministry are: reduction of reliance on fossil and nuclear fuels, reduction of greenhouse gases and other emissions and establishment of more sustainable sources of energy.
There are several important wind channels in Iran, the first blows from northwest to south and the second blows from west to east. Harat is also another wind tunnel that blows from Khavaf and goes southwards.
There are several important wind channels in Iran, the first blows from northwest to south and the second from west to east.
Wind Map
According to the head of the energy department at the Energy Ministry, the nationwide capacity to generate electricity from wind power stands at around 6,500 megawatts. By completing the Wind Map project, the national potential to generate electricity from wind farms will reach a whopping 20,000 megawatts.
Mohsen Bakhtiar noted that in order to devise the Wind Map, wind turbines will be erected at five different points across the nation to specifically determine which regions will best meet the requirements for setting up wind farms and what would be the total capacity of generating electricity through such stations.
The official pointed out that the Wind Map is a collection of data from the existing wind currents in different regions and can be used as reference by the Energy Ministry experts when setting up wind farms. The first phase of the Wind Map has already been completed. Based on international standards it will be accessible within the next three years or so.
Bakhtiar said the chief policy of the Energy Ministry is to support and include the private sector for developing alternative power supply or renewable energy sources such as wind power. According to Article 62 of the State Financial Law, grounds have been paved to this end.
As per the article, electricity generated from reusable sources or alternative sources will be bought at a price range of 450 to 650 rials per kw/h.
Bakhtiar said the Management and Planning Organization (MPO) had allocated the necessary funds to include the private sector in the nationwide development schemes of wind power stations.
However, the private sector hasn't started its job in this particular project yet, he said, hoping that direct involvement of the private sector will help generate at least 250 megawatts of electricity from wind power.
Research works conducted on the national capacity to generate electricity from wind power have proposed different regions for setting up wind power stations. If the research delivers the expected results, even Tehran will be able to meet part of its growing demand for electricity through wind power.
Potential Regions
Based on the research works there are nine regions both in Tehran and Qom provinces that could serve as potential sites for wind farms, including Shahriar, Varamin, northwest of Salt Lake, certain areas in Karaj, regions between Hashtgerd and Abyek, Robat Karim and Rahim Abad, Pakdasht, Qom and Saveh. These places have the necessary capacity and the means for establishing large arrays of wind turbines on farmland.
Binaloud Wind Power Station is expected to have at least 43 wind turbines with the help of private contractors. According to its executive director Ali Karami, five units of the power station have already started to generate electricity and another 15 will become operational by the end of the year (March 20, 2007). The remaining turbines will be set up early next year.
Karami said the energy studies have concluded that after setting up all the turbines, wind harvested in Binaloud (more than 11,000 megawatts) will provide enough electricity to power at least 78,000 households.
The Energy Ministry has made it a top priority to come up with alternative power supply sources in order to create various sources of energy in all other regions. It has at the same time taken into account the benefits of wind energy, which is an ideal renewable energy, pollution-free, infinitely sustainable, doesn't require fuel, doesn't create greenhouse gasses, and doesn't produce toxic or radioactive waste.
The ministry experts argue that wind energy is also 'quiet' and does not present any significant hazard to birds or other wildlife. In addition, extensive studies suggest that each megawatt-hour of electricity generated by wind energy can help reduce up to 0.9 tons of greenhouse gas emissions that are produced by coal or diesel fuel generation each year.
What's more, wind energy systems can provide a cushion against electric power price increases and help reduce dependence on fossil fuels. This is why the Energy Ministry has ratified several different plans and laws in order to set up wind farms in potential sites to compete with traditional sources of energy and also to create a variety in sources of power supply that are cost-effective and infinitely sustainable, while also preserving the environment. -- Yoshie <http://montages.blogspot.com/> <http://mrzine.org> <http://monthlyreview.org/>