Financial Appraisal of Solar Energy Use: Case Study Phase 13 of South Pars Gas Field

The purpose of this study is to financially evaluate solar energy utilization in Phase 13 of South Pars gas platform instead of using fossil fuels to provide the required energy for the mentioned platform. For this purpose, the life cycle cost analysis method, the cost of producing kilowatt hours of energy in the photovoltaic system and fossil power plant (in two scenarios) have been used. The results show that the cost per kilowatt hour of energy generated by the solar power plant is 26125 IRR (Rials) and the cost per kilowatt hour of energy production by fossil power plant in the first scenario taken into account the actual price of diesel fuel is 45165 IRR and in the second scenario taken into account the subsidy price of diesel fuel is 40795 IRR. Comparing the two scenarios concluded that using a fossil fuel plant is not economically justified due to high fuel costs, the need for full time worker, flotation and environmental pollution and therefore, solar power plant scenario enjoys a higher priority over diesel power plant.
JEL Classification: D22, G11, L94, ,O13, ,Q42,Q49