Iranians are voting for a new president. With the country isolated, there's not much hope that a new leader will bring much economic change.

Tehran

Iranians are participating in the election of a new president, despite limited expectations for significant economic improvement. Saeed Rezaoui, an entrepreneur in Tehran, uses his daily bus travels to fuel his ambition for cleaner energy.

Rezaoui has founded a start-up focusing on producing biofuel from used cooking oil, which he acquires from local restaurants. His operation converts the oil into biofuel for buses and trucks and even sustainable aviation fuel. This endeavor also earns him carbon credits for reducing carbon emissions.

Despite the benefits of biofuels, Rezaoui faces challenges due to the low price of conventional fuels in the region and the impact of Western sanctions on Iran. He believes that the upcoming presidential elections are unlikely to bring considerable changes to these circumstances.

Rezaoui remains hopeful, however, that small steps toward environmental awareness can still make a positive impact. Until broader change occurs, he continues to work on increasing demand for climate-friendly biofuels in Iran.



Iranians electing new president without hope for change

Saeed Rezaoui travels by bus in the Iranian capital Tehran nearly every day. The buses run on diesel, and he wants to change that. That's why he founded a start-up that aims to bring cleaner fuel to buses and trucks. My idea is to produce biofuel from used cooking oil. Even sustainable aviation fuel can be made from the used cooking oil. This is the fuel for airplanes. Cooking oil is made from renewable natural products. The entrepreneur gets it from restaurants, which struggle to get rid of used cooking oil. In a makeshift factory, Rezaoui and his eight workers are turning it into biofuel, which is then sold to local logistics firms. And because biofuels help protect the climate, the entrepreneur is earning so-called carbon credits with every litre for preventing carbon emissions. Unfortunately, due to the very low price of fuel in our region, sustainable fuels have not been noticed until now. But we intend to create this demand through private diplomacy, public advocacy and awareness rising. The entrepreneur would like to sell his idea in other countries where public awareness of environmental and climate protection is much higher. But that's very difficult, due to Western sanctions against Iran. And Rezaoui doesn't believe that the country's presidential elections will bring about much change. Actually, I don't believe that any of the candidates would be able to bring major change. The situation in Iran and internationally doesn't allow that. But sometimes also a small step in the right direction would be helpful. And until then, the entrepreneur will continue working on his plan to create a market for climate-friendly biofuels in Iran. And the interest he's seeing gives him reason to be optimistic.

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