Speaking Monday at the inauguration ceremony for the national first-production gas microturbine project, Mohsen Mohamadpour said the country’s approach is increasingly focused on optimization and the use of high-efficiency technologies.
He said the gas microturbine, developed under a first-production manufacturing contract and implemented with the cooperation of a research consultant for the Fuel Consumption Optimization Company, operates at an efficiency of about 85 percent.
“This microturbine is capable of producing 60 kilowatts of electricity and 120 kilowatts of heat at the same time,” Mohamadpour said. “This is a major success in the field of energy efficiency.”
Thanking those involved in the project, he said the technology has reached Technology Readiness Level 9 and expressed hope that, following successful operation, it will move into the development and mass-production phase.
Distributed Power Generation a Longstanding Goal
Mohamadpour described the development of distributed power generation as one of the key objectives of the technology, calling it a longstanding goal of the oil industry.
He said power outages currently cause daily production losses of between 2,000 and 3,000 barrels across production units, refineries and facilities nationwide, adding that the economic value of those losses is substantial.
“In comparison with the damage caused by production losses, the cost of developing distributed power generation through microturbines or small power plants is far lower and can prevent significant economic harm,” he said.
Mohamadpour also pointed to other advantages of the technology, saying gas microturbines can help diversify the country’s energy mix. During the summer, he said, natural gas can be used to generate electricity, easing pressure on the national power grid.
He added that, from a passive defense perspective, the technology enables self-sufficiency in electricity during crises or grid disruptions.
“I hope the Ministry of Oil, by expanding this approach, will be able in the future to independently supply the electricity needed for its buildings and facilities and eliminate concerns over power outages,” Mohamadpour said.
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