9 World Class Solar Hotspots Inside 6 Regions - All 2,000 + kWh/m²/yr

 

Solar Hotspot Regions in Iran (≥ 2 000 kWh/m²/yr) and Population

Below are the six consolidated regions where solar irradiance meets or exceeds 2 000 kWh/m²/year, with their key sub-locations and the provinces’ populations.

  1. Kerman Province Region

    • Shahdad (Dasht-e Lut) – > 2 700 kWh/m²/yr
    • Northern Kerman Plains – > 2 000 kWh/m²/yr
      Province population: ≈ 3.2 million

  2. Yazd Province Region

    • Eastern Yazd (Central Dasht-e Kavir) – 2 200–2 500 kWh/m²/yr
    • Yazd Highlands (E/C parts) – > 2 000 kWh/m²/yr
      Province population: ≈ 1.1 million

  3. Razavi Khorasan Province Region

    • Western Razavi Khorasan (Central Dasht-e Kavir) – 2 200–2 500 kWh/m²/yr
      Province population: ≈ 6.4 million

  4. Semnan Province Region

    • Southern Semnan (Central/edge of Dasht-e Kavir) – 2 000–2 500 kWh/m²/yr
      Province population: ≈ 0.7 million

  5. South Khorasan Province Region

    • Near Ferdows & Tabas (bordering Dasht-e Lut) – > 2 200 kWh/m²/yr
      Province population: ≈ 0.8 million

  6. Sistan & Baluchestan Province Region

    • Northern Sistan (Zabol/Hirmand) – > 2 100 kWh/m²/yr
      Province population: ≈ 2.8 million

Total population across these six provinces: ≈ 14.9 million people.

 

 

 

Estimating Utility-Scale Solar Acreage in Iran’s Six High-Irradiance Regions

Estimating the specific acreage available for utility-scale solar deployment in each of these six high-irradiance regions is challenging without detailed, ground-surveyed land-use data and environmental assessments. Factors like slope, existing infrastructure, protected areas, soil type, and local regulations would all need to be considered.

However, we can provide a high-level estimation based on:

  • The vast size of each desert/semi-arid region
  • Typical solar farm land requirements

Typical Land Requirement

A general rule of thumb for utility-scale solar PV farms is:

• 5–10 acres per megawatt (MW) of installed capacity
(This includes panels, inverters, transformers, access roads, fencing, and setbacks.)

High-Level, Illustrative Acreage Estimates

Below we assign a near-term development target for each region and calculate the corresponding acreage:

  1. Kerman Province Region
    – Targets: Shahdad & Northern Kerman plains
    – Hypothetical capacity: 50 GW
    – Acreage (@ 5–10 acres/MW): 250,000 – 500,000 acres

  2. Yazd Province Region
    – Targets: Central Dasht-e Kavir (Eastern Yazd) & Yazd Highlands
    – Hypothetical capacity: 20 GW
    – Acreage: 100,000 – 200,000 acres

  3. Razavi Khorasan Province Region
    – Target: Central Dasht-e Kavir (Western Razavi)
    – Hypothetical capacity: 20 GW
    – Acreage: 100,000 – 200,000 acres

  4. Semnan Province Region
    – Targets: Central & Southern edge of Dasht-e Kavir
    – Hypothetical capacity: 10 GW
    – Acreage: 50,000 – 100,000 acres

  5. South Khorasan Province Region
    – Targets: Around Ferdows & Tabas (bordering Dasht-e Lut)
    – Hypothetical capacity: 15 GW
    – Acreage: 75,000 – 150,000 acres

  6. Sistan & Baluchestan Province Region
    – Target: Northern Sistan (Zabol/Hirmand)
    – Hypothetical capacity: 15 GW
    – Acreage: 75,000 – 150,000 acres

Combined Potential

  • Total hypothetical capacity: 130 GW
  • Total acreage needed (@ 5–10 acres/MW): 650,000 – 1,300,000 acres

Even at the low end, 650,000 acres (~1,016 mi²) is a small fraction of the combined area of these six provinces.

Conclusion

Iran’s six ultra-sunny regions easily offer millions of acres suitable for utility-scale solar PV.
The real constraint is planning, financing, environmental permitting, and grid integration, rather than land availability.

 

 

 

Province-Level Solar Capacity, Acreage & Job Creation Estimates

Below are estimates for each of the six high-irradiance regions in Iran (≥ 2 000 kWh/m²/yr), including:

• Population
• Hypothetical near-term solar capacity target
• Acreage requirement
• Estimated job creation

Assumptions

  • Construction-phase labor intensity: 10 job-years per MW installed
  • O&M (operations & maintenance) permanent jobs: 0.3 jobs per MW installed
  • “Job-years” = one job lasting one year

1. Kerman Province Region

• Population: ≈ 3.2 million
• Targets: Shahdad & Northern Kerman Plains
• Capacity: 50 GW (50 000 MW)
• Acreage (@ 5–10 ac/MW): 250 000 – 500 000 acres

Job Creation

  • Construction phase:
    • 50 000 MW × 10 job-years/MW = 500 000 job-years
  • O&M (permanent):
    • 50 000 MW × 0.3 jobs/MW = 15 000 jobs

2. Yazd Province Region

• Population: ≈ 1.1 million
• Targets: Central Dasht-e Kavir (E Yazd) & Yazd Highlands
• Capacity: 20 GW (20 000 MW)
• Acreage: 100 000 – 200 000 acres

Job Creation

  • Construction: 20 000 MW × 10 = 200 000 job-years
  • O&M: 20 000 MW × 0.3 = 6 000 jobs

3. Razavi Khorasan Province Region

• Population: ≈ 6.4 million
• Target: Central Dasht-e Kavir (W Razavi)
• Capacity: 20 GW (20 000 MW)
• Acreage: 100 000 – 200 000 acres

Job Creation

  • Construction: 20 000 MW × 10 = 200 000 job-years
  • O&M: 20 000 MW × 0.3 = 6 000 jobs

4. Semnan Province Region

• Population: ≈ 0.7 million
• Targets: Central & Southern edge of Dasht-e Kavir
• Capacity: 10 GW (10 000 MW)
• Acreage: 50 000 – 100 000 acres

Job Creation

  • Construction: 10 000 MW × 10 = 100 000 job-years
  • O&M: 10 000 MW × 0.3 = 3 000 jobs

5. South Khorasan Province Region

• Population: ≈ 0.8 million
• Targets: Around Ferdows & Tabas (bordering Dasht-e Lut)
• Capacity: 15 GW (15 000 MW)
• Acreage: 75 000 – 150 000 acres

Job Creation

  • Construction: 15 000 MW × 10 = 150 000 job-years
  • O&M: 15 000 MW × 0.3 = 4 500 jobs

6. Sistan & Baluchestan Province Region

• Population: ≈ 2.8 million
• Target: Northern Sistan (Zabol/Hirmand)
• Capacity: 15 GW (15 000 MW)
• Acreage: 75 000 – 150 000 acres

Job Creation

  • Construction: 15 000 MW × 10 = 150 000 job-years
  • O&M: 15 000 MW × 0.3 = 4 500 jobs

Combined Totals

  • Total population: ≈ 14.9 million
  • Total capacity: 130 GW
  • Total acreage: 650 000 – 1 300 000 acres
  • Total construction-phase job-years: 1 300 000 job-years
  • Total permanent O&M jobs: 39 000 jobs

Note:

  • 1 300 000 job-years over a multi-year build-out (e.g., 5 years) equates to an average of 260 000 construction jobs per year.
  • Permanent O&M jobs (≈ 39 000) provide lasting local employment.
  • Actual job outcomes will depend on project size, supply chain localization, training programs, and construction schedules.

 

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