Last week, Wasit province in Iraq opened investment tenders for more than 25 renewable energy projects. These projects include solar and wind power. The total combined capacity is 3,000 megawatts (MW). The tenders are open to international companies. Bids can be submitted over a 30-day period. The announcement was made during the First Conference on the Transition to Clean Energy held in the province.
Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity also confirmed it continues to move forward with solar energy plans in other areas. In March 2025, construction began on the Basra Sun project, a 1,000 MW solar power plant. This is being built by a joint venture between TotalEnergies of France and QatarEnergy of Qatar.
In a separate development, Iraq’s Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, held a meeting with UAE-based Masdar. Discussions focused on finalising agreements for solar energy projects totaling another 1,000 MW. These are located in the provinces of Maysan, Dhi Qar, and Anbar.
Beyond the larger projects, there are smaller, solar installations in other parts of Iraq. In Babil governorate, local authorities have set up pilot solar water pumping systems. These small units run on solar panels with a combined output of about 100 kilowatts. They are used to operate groundwater pumps for irrigation purposes.
In Nineveh, a local initiative in the Tal Afar district has installed a mini-grid solar system to power a rural health clinic. The system has a capacity of around 30 kilowatts. It includes backup battery storage. The project was installed with technical support from Iraq’s Renewable Energy Directorate.
In Diyala, a group of technical students and local engineers completed a rooftop solar setup on a secondary school. The system supplies 10 kilowatts, enough to run lighting and fans during power outages.
Iraq targets 20% to 25% renewable energy in its national power mix by 2030. These small and large projects reflect the use of solar and wind technologies in different parts of the country.
