Ali-Asghar Rajabi said Sunday, at a ceremony unveiling the program and signing contracts with gas service companies, that a coordinated five-step plan has been launched to secure resources and curb consumption. The first phase involved a pilot project in the city of Yazd, monitoring gas use in 40,000 households to assess results.

Explaining the second phase, he said a strong management team was formed after reviewing the pilot data, leading to initial drafts and cost estimates that were consolidated into a strategic document submitted to the Oil Ministry. The Cabinet later approved the proposal, paving the way for a new contractual model to advance efficiency goals.

Rajabi said the next step focused on drafting a detailed verification protocol, noting that multiple scientific methods used worldwide were reviewed. With support from 11 trusted firms, he said, the company ultimately settled on a dependable scientific approach, with implementation beginning this year as the program’s third phase.

35  NTBFs Selected in First Call

Emphasizing the importance of accurately identifying consumers along the value chain, Rajabi said numerous meetings were held with technology providers in the regulatory field. Following those consultations, the first call for so-called Type 2 optimization projects — centered on consumer gas meters — was issued.

He said unnecessary restrictions were removed so that licensed knowledge-based companies approved by the Planning and Budget Organization could participate easily. Ultimately, 35 firms were selected for one-year contracts.

Rajabi said the fifth phase of the program began Sunday with the signing of 22 contracts. The initiative targets households in income deciles one through five that fall into consumption tiers three and four, as well as about 1,000 households covered by the Social Security Organization.

He also stressed the need for public awareness campaigns and cited optimization projects in greenhouse operations, poultry farms and brick-making industries. Producing one metric ton of bricks currently consumes about 300 cubic meters of gas, he said, but switching to tunnel kiln systems can cut that figure to roughly 70 cubic meters.