CHAPTER 2
The Politics of Low-Carbon Energy in Iran
and Iraq
Robin Mills
Introduction
Iran and Iraq present curious paradoxes in their use—in fact—their lack
of use of low-carbon energy. Both have suffered over the past forty years
from well-reported wars, sanctions and political upheaval. Both, though in
different ways, have experienced fast-rising electricity demand which has
been a challenge to meet. Through a mix of circumstances and choice,
they have relied primarily on domestic, and usually state, investment to
build their power sectors. Both have large-scale, low-cost oil and gas
resources, but also significant hydroelectric, solar and wind potential.
Yet the use of the ‘modern’ renewables, solar and wind, has made little
progress.
On closer examination, though, there are sharp differences in the
underlying reasons for this limited penetration of low-carbon energy. Low
domestic energy prices and a hydrocarbon-dominated mindset are part of
R. Mills (B)
Qamar Energy, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
e-mail: robin@qamarenergy.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Switzerland AG 2021
R. Mills and L.-C. Sim (eds.), Low Carbon Energy in the Middle East
and North Africa, International Political Economy Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59554-8_2
19
The Politics of Low-Carbon Energy in Iran
and Iraq
Robin Mills
Introduction
Iran and Iraq present curious paradoxes in their use—in fact—their lack
of use of low-carbon energy. Both have suffered over the past forty years
from well-reported wars, sanctions and political upheaval. Both, though in
different ways, have experienced fast-rising electricity demand which has
been a challenge to meet. Through a mix of circumstances and choice,
they have relied primarily on domestic, and usually state, investment to
build their power sectors. Both have large-scale, low-cost oil and gas
resources, but also significant hydroelectric, solar and wind potential.
Yet the use of the ‘modern’ renewables, solar and wind, has made little
progress.
On closer examination, though, there are sharp differences in the
underlying reasons for this limited penetration of low-carbon energy. Low
domestic energy prices and a hydrocarbon-dominated mindset are part of
R. Mills (B)
Qamar Energy, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
e-mail: robin@qamarenergy.com
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature
Switzerland AG 2021
R. Mills and L.-C. Sim (eds.), Low Carbon Energy in the Middle East
and North Africa, International Political Economy Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-59554-8_2
19