Identification and Analysis of Barriers to Renewable Energy Development in Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy, Faculty of Industrial and Technology management, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/jrenew.2026.247780
Abstract
In recent years, the development of renewable energy capacities has garnered increasing global attention due to its potential for delivering clean and uninterrupted energy supply. Despite substantial inherent opportunities, the adoption of renewable energy in Iran and several other countries has experienced limited progress. This study aims to identify and analyze the barriers to renewable energy expansion in Iran using a qualitative thematic analysis approach and a two-round Delphi method. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 17 experts in Iran’s renewable energy sector, selected based on their experience and domain expertise. The analysis yielded 4 primary themes, 10 sub-themes, and 23 barrier concepts. The findings identify four critical dimensions as the main barriers to renewable energy development in Iran: Technology and Infrastructure, Policy and Regulatory, Macroeconomic and Financial Environment, and Social and Cultural Dimensions. Key components include: technological limitations, infrastructure deficits, and institutional weaknesses (Technology and Infrastructure); inadequate government and policy support, alongside regulatory frameworks (Policy and Regulatory); international sanctions, financial constraints, inflation, price instability, subsidies, and pricing mechanisms (Macroeconomic and Financial); and public acceptance and cultural factors (Social and Cultural).

Keywords

Subjects

- مراجع
[1]  A. Al-Sarihi and N. Mansouri, Renewable energy development in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Status, barriers, and policy options, Energies, Vol. 15, No. 5, p. 1923, 2022.
[2]  Q. Hassan et al., The renewable energy role in the global energy transformations, Renewable Energy Focus, Vol. 48, p. 100545, 2024.
[3]  S. V. Valentine, Emerging symbiosis: Renewable energy and energy security, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 15, No. 9, pp. 4572-4578, 2011.
[4]  C. T. Tugcu and A. N. Menegaki, The impact of renewable energy generation on energy security: Evidence from the G7 countries, Gondwana Research, Vol. 125, pp. 253-265, 2024.
[5]  S. Sen and S. Ganguly, Opportunities, barriers and issues with renewable energy development-A discussion, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 69, pp. 1170-1181, 2017.
[6]  A. Sachan, U. K. Sahu, A. K. Pradhan, and R. Thomas, Examining the drivers of renewable energy consumption: Evidence from BRICS nations, Renewable Energy, Vol. 202, pp. 1402-1411, 2023.
[7]  S. Z. Farooqui, Prospects of renewables penetration in the energy mix of Pakistan, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 29, pp. 693-700, 2014.
[8]  B. N. Iyke, Climate change, energy security risk, and clean energy investment, Energy Economics, Vol. 129, p. 107225, 2024.
[9]  A. H. Ostadzad, Solar energy and sustainable economic development in Iran, Journal of Renewable and New Energy, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 128-137, 2024. (in Persian)
[10] A. Mahmoudi, M. Bostani, S. Rashidi, and M. S. Valipour, Challenges and opportunities of desalination with renewable energy resources in Middle East countries, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 184, p. 113543, 2023.
[11] S. Salehi, S. Mirzakhani, and C. Schelly, The role of developers in accepting solar energy in Iran: A case study in Golestan province, Solar Energy, Vol. 264, p. 111967, 2023.
[12] M. Talebi and A. Daghighi, Forecasting Renewable Energy Generation in Iran by Data Science Method, International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Operational Research, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 12-22, 2023.
[13] H. Yousefi, R. Habibifar, A. Farhadi, and S. M. Hosseini, Integrated energy, cost, and environmental life cycle analysis of electricity generation and supply in Tehran, Iran, Sustainable Cities and Society, Vol. 97, p. 104748, 2023.
[14] A. Pasandideh and G. Heidari, Paradigm analysis of renewable energy governance and policymaking in Iran, Journal of Renewable and New Energy, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 125-138, 2024. (in Persian)
[15] B. Gajdzik, R. Wolniak, R. Nagaj, W. W. Grebski, and T. Romanyshyn, Barriers to renewable energy source (RES) installations as determinants of energy consumption in EU countries, Energies, Vol. 16, No. 21, p. 7364, 2023.
[16] M. Kazemi, Behavioral barriers to the use of renewable and energy-efficient technologies in residential buildings in Iran, Energy Efficiency, Vol. 16, No. 7, p. 79, 2023.
[17] M. Unuigbe, S. L. Zulu, and D. Johnston, Exploring Factors Influencing Renewable Energy Diffusion in Commercial Buildings in Nigeria: A Grounded Theory Approach, Sustainability, Vol. 14, No. 15, p. 9726, 2022.
[18] M. Birks and J. Mills, Grounded theory: A practical guide, Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2015.
[19] X. He, S. Khan, I. Ozturk, and M. Murshed, The role of renewable energy investment in tackling climate change concerns: Environmental policies for achieving SDG-13, Sustainable Development, Vol. 31, No. 3, pp. 1888-1901, 2023.
[20] J. Rani, J. Kumari, S. K. Chand, and S. Chand, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, in: Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Analytics in Climate Change Research: For Sustainable Development Goals, pp. 153-171, Springer, 2024.
[21] M. Salimi, M. Hosseinpour, and B. Dodange, Investigating the importance of renewable energy in the successful energy transition in Iran based on SWOT analysis, Journal of Renewable and New Energy, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 97-109, 2023. (in Persian)
[22] S. Reddy and J. P. Painuly, Diffusion of renewable energy technologies-barriers and stakeholders' perspectives, Renewable Energy, Vol. 29, No. 9, pp. 1431-1447, 2004.
[23] J. P. Painuly, Barriers to renewable energy penetration; a framework for analysis, Renewable Energy, Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 73-89, 2001.
[24] H. Kryszk, K. Kurowska, R. Marks-Bielska, S. Bielski, and B. Eźlakowski, Barriers and Prospects for the Development of Renewable Energy Sources in Poland during the Energy Crisis, Energies, Vol. 16, No. 4, p. 1724, 2023.
[25] M. J. Pasqualetti, Social barriers to renewable energy landscapes, Geographical Review, Vol. 101, No. 2, pp. 201-223, 2011.
[26] U. K. Mirza, N. Ahmad, K. Harijan, and T. Majeed, Identifying and addressing barriers to renewable energy development in Pakistan, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 927-931, 2009.
[27] G. Richards, B. Noble, and K. Belcher, Barriers to renewable energy development: A case study of large-scale wind energy in Saskatchewan, Canada, Energy Policy, Vol. 42, pp. 691-698, 2012.
[28] L. K. Chu, S. Ghosh, B. Doğan, N. H. Nguyen, and M. Shahbaz, Energy security as new determinant of renewable energy: the role of economic complexity in top energy users, Energy, Vol. 263, p. 125799, 2023.
[29] K. Khan, C. W. Su, A. Khurshid, and M. Qin, Does energy security improve renewable energy? A geopolitical perspective, Energy, Vol. 282, p. 128824, 2023.
[30] L. D. Hersaputri et al., Reducing Fossil Fuel Dependence and Exploring Just Energy Transition Pathways in Indonesia Using OSeMOSYS (Open-Source Energy Modelling System), Climate, Vol. 12, No. 3, p. 37, 2024.
[31] T. S. Adebayo and S. Ullah, Towards a sustainable future: The role of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and urbanization in limiting CO2 emissions in Sweden, Sustainable Development, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 244-259, 2024.
[32] M. Khalid, Smart grids and renewable energy systems: Perspectives and grid integration challenges, Energy Strategy Reviews, Vol. 51, p. 101299, 2024.
[33] T. Kataray et al., Integration of smart grid with renewable energy sources: Opportunities and challenges-A comprehensive review, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, Vol. 58, p. 103363, 2023.
[34] E. Neska, Social Motivators and Barriers to Participation in a Renewable Energy Community in Western Europe, in: Adoption of Emerging Information and Communication Technology for Sustainability, p. 323, 2024.
[35] M. Ali, M. Irfan, I. Ozturk, and A. Rauf, Modeling public acceptance of renewable energy deployment: a pathway towards green revolution, Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Vol. 36, No. 3, 2023.
[36] J. Ladenburg, J. Kim, M. Zuch, and U. Soytas, Taking the carbon capture and storage, wind power, PV or other renewable technology path to fight climate change? Exploring the acceptance of climate change mitigation technologies-A Danish national representative study, Renewable Energy, Vol. 220, p. 119582, 2024.
[37] H. Mahmud and J. Roy, Barriers to overcome in accelerating renewable energy penetration in Bangladesh, Sustainability, Vol. 13, No. 14, p. 7694, 2021.
[38] T. Zhu, J. Curtis, and M. Clancy, Modelling barriers to low-carbon technologies in energy system analysis: The example of renewable heat in Ireland, Applied Energy, Vol. 330, p. 120314, 2023.
[39] N. Girgibo, E. Hiltunen, X. Lü, A. Mäkiranta, and V. Tuomi, Risks of climate change effects on renewable energy resources and the effects of their utilisation on the environment, Energy Reports, Vol. 11, pp. 1517-1534, 2024.
[40] D. Abdul, J. Wenqi, and M. Sameeroddin, Prioritization of ecopreneurship barriers overcoming renewable energy technologies promotion: A comparative analysis of novel spherical fuzzy and Pythagorean fuzzy AHP approach, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol. 186, p. 122133, 2023.
[41] Z. Shi, B. Li, and R. S. Bilti, Constraints to sustainable energy technology implementation: Insights from an emerging economy using ISM-MICMAC analysis, PLOS ONE, Vol. 20, No. 9, p. e0331334, 2025.
[42] K. Fartash and A. Ghorbani, Under domination of oil and gas: future scenarios of renewable energy development in Iran, Foresight, Vol. 25, No. 3, pp. 367-383, 2023.
[43] B. Oryani, Y. Koo, S. Rezania, and A. Shafiee, Barriers to renewable energy technologies penetration: Perspective in Iran, Renewable Energy, Vol. 174, pp. 971-983, 2021.
[44] S. Solaymani, A review on energy and renewable energy policies in Iran, Sustainability, Vol. 13, No. 13, p. 7328, 2021.
[45] M. Ghouchani, M. Taji, A. S. Cheheltani, and M. S. Chehr, Developing a perspective on the use of renewable energy in Iran, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol. 172, p. 121049, 2021.
[46] S. Pahlavan, M. Jahangiri, A. A. Shamsabadi, and A. Baharizadeh, Assessing the Current Status of Renewable Energies and Their Limitations in Iran, International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 97-105, 2020.
[47] S. M. Zanjirchi, S. Shojaei, A. N. Sadrabadi, and N. Jalilian, Promotion of solar energies usage in Iran: A scenario-based road map, Renewable Energy, Vol. 150, pp. 278-292, 2020.
[48] S. Gorjian, B. N. Zadeh, L. Eltrop, R. R. Shamshiri, and Y. Amanlou, Solar photovoltaic power generation in Iran: Development, policies, and barriers, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 106, pp. 110-123, 2019.
[49] A. Tavana et al., Toward renewable and sustainable energies perspective in Iran, Renewable Energy, Vol. 139, pp. 1194-1216, 2019.
[50] R. Sirous and R. B. Lopes, A framework to identify and overcome barriers in launching sustainable energy projects in the Iranian industrial sector, International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 1-30, 2019.
[51] V. Aryanpur, M. S. Atabaki, M. Marzband, P. Siano, and K. Ghayoumi, An overview of energy planning in Iran and transition pathways towards sustainable electricity supply sector, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 112, pp. 58-74, 2019.
[52] G. Terry, N. Hayfield, V. Clarke, and V. Braun, Thematic analysis, in: The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research in Psychology, Vol. 2, No. 25, pp. 17-37, 2017.
[53] V. Clarke and V. Braun, Thematic analysis, The Journal of Positive Psychology, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 297-298, 2017.
[54] S. R. Brady, Utilizing and Adapting the Delphi Method for Use in Qualitative Research, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, Vol. 14, No. 5, p. 1609406915621381, 2015.
[55] F. Hasson, S. Keeney, and H. McKenna, Research guidelines for the Delphi survey technique, Journal of Advanced Nursing, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp. 1008-1015, 2000.
[56] O. Gulaydin and M. Mourshed, Net-zero Turkey: Renewable energy potential and implementation challenges, Energy for Sustainable Development, Vol. 87, p. 101744, 2025.
[57] Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA), Share of Renewable and Clean Energy in Iran's Gross Electricity Generation, Accessed 31 May 2026; https://amar.satba.gov.ir/fa/shareofrenewableandcleanenergiesinthecountrys. (in Persian)
[58] International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Renewable Energy Statistics 2025, Abu Dhabi: IRENA, 2025. Accessed 31 May 2026; https://www.irena.org/Publications/2025/Jul/Renewable-energy-statistics-2025.
[59] U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Country Analysis Brief: Iran, Washington, DC, USA: EIA, 2024. Accessed 31 May 2026; https://www.eia.gov/international/content/analysis/countries_long/Iran/pdf/Iran%20CAB%202024.pdf.

  • Receive Date 19 July 2025
  • Revise Date 30 December 2025
  • Accept Date 04 January 2026