Middle Eastern oil and natural gas powerhouse Iran is making renewed efforts to utilize green technology and diversify its energy base. The office of Iran’s Vice Presidency for Science and Technology has announced that, as soon as this year, the country will start using biofuels. If they follow through, this marks the first time in Iranian history that such a plan will actually be executed.

According to the Vice Presidency’s Biofuels Committee head, Meisam Tabatabaei, the initiative will initially be launched at pilot scale. It will involve the blending of bioethanol and biodiesel with conventional gasoline in buses, minibuses and select cars in Iran’s free trade zones. The preliminary aim is said to be to evaluate the project’s feasibility. However, the ultimate objective is to prepare the ground for the full and nationwide implementation of measures to start using biofuels in the near future.

“Unlike fossil fuels, biofuels have very low CO2 emissions and release no toxins in the air. More important, they are biodegradable and renewable, while fossil fuel resources are limited and will eventually run out,” Tabatabaei said. “Many Iranian cities are suffering from serious air pollution, so by introducing biofuels we can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move toward a healthier, more eco-friendly future.”

To date, the production of bioethanol and biodiesel in Iran has been at the academic research level, although the country has great potential for bioenergy. Iran’s diverse terrain and climate is suitable for the cultivation of various energy crops that have the potential to produce 721 million liters (190.5 million gallons) of biodiesel annually. While having the capacity, Iran would never divert its precious farmland for fuel production.