Iraq and state-owned PowerChina have signed an initial agreement to develop 2 GW of solar power plants. In the first phase, PowerChina will develop 750 MW, and Iraqi officials say the agreement would help further the country’s goal of generating 20%-25% of its energy from renewables by 2030. Iraq is under increasing pressure to wean itself off Iranian electricity and gas imports which have been subject to US sanctions since 2018. Waivers have been granted to Iraq since 2018 to continue importing energy from Iran. A number of difficulties are occurring with Iraqi energy though, such as intermittent supply of gas and electricity from Iran, difficulty paying back the billions of dollars worth of dues to Tehran, and the slowness of capturing its own associated gases.