Registration 'encouraged'

Raparin records 150 sites using solar energy as push for renewables intensifies

2025-02-26 | 11:15

SULAYMANIYAH — Authorities in the Raparin autonomous administration have recorded 150 locations that have installed solar energy systems connected to the national grid, according to the latest data from its electricity directorate.

Ali Mohammed, director of the Raparin Electricity Directorate, told 964media that anyone who installs a solar energy system and registers it with the department will have the amount of electricity they supply to the national grid deducted from their monthly power bill.

“According to our latest records, 150 locations are currently using solar energy systems,” Mohammed said. “These include 137 homes, nine commercial sites, two industrial facilities, one agricultural site, and one government institution.”

He explained that the push for solar energy stems from two main goals: reducing pollution and eliminating toxic gas emissions, and easing the load on the electricity grid to improve power distribution.

All 150 sites remain connected to the national grid and continue to receive electricity when needed, but any excess solar power they generate—amounting to approximately 882,015 kilowatts—is fed back into the system.

“I hope more citizens will invest in solar energy systems,” Mohammed said. “It benefits the environment and saves people a lot of money on their electricity bills. The extra power they generate is bought back from them.”

Each household in the Kurdistan Region connected to the national grid has a smart meter that monitors electricity flow. When a solar energy system produces more amperes than the household consumes, the excess power is automatically fed into the grid. The government compensates solar energy users by deducting the contributed electricity from their monthly bills or purchasing the surplus at a set rate, ensuring both financial benefits for citizens and a more stable power supply for the region.

Mohammed also urged those who have already installed solar energy systems but have not yet registered them to come forward. “There may be many individuals and businesses using the system without being in our records,” he said. “We encourage them to register so they can fully benefit from the program.”

Amid persistent power shortages in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the government is urging citizens to adopt solar energy systems. To facilitate this transition, the Central Bank of Iraq has allocated one trillion dinars (approximately $750 million) to provide subsidized loans for private sector entities, including households and companies, to install solar power systems.