Role of hydrocarbons and renewable energies in Iran's energy matrix focusing on bioenergy: review

Iran is one of the most potent energy exporters and fastest-growing energy consumers in the world. Its large amount of energy exported can directly impact the economy of importer countries. Iran's energy matrix mostly consists of hydrocarbons, while the remaining portion is compounded by a blend of biofuels, hydropower, wind, solar, and other renewable sources. Even though the country has an excellent potential to reach a large amount of renewable power, it is most likely that Iran will deal with a shortage in its electricity segment during the upcoming years. Besides wind and solar energy, bioenergy appears to be a good alternative for enhancing the country's energy matrix and transit Iran's energy consumption pattern from a high-level usage of hydrocarbons to a more renewable scenario. Therefore, in the present paper, the role of Iran in global energy production is discussed, and its potential for renewable energy generation is described. The review presents a vast set of data related to environmental, infrastructural, economic, and social aspects to clarify the potential and benefits of Iran's transition to a more renewable energy matrix. The investigations revealed the country's extremely favourable conditions to use bioenergy resources as a key solution to avoiding future energy crises, besides improving quality of life. The context can help researchers, power suppliers, and energy consumers know how renewable energies, especially bioenergy, can modify the energy matrix of a country rich in hydrocarbon resources.