By Nurullo
TWA
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In Uzbekistan, green energy is expected to reach 13 billion kilowatt-hours in 2024, and its total share in the country’s economy will reach 15 percent. To further speed up work on this, it is required to attract sufficient investment in the industry, creating a free market.
In recent years, several projects have been implemented in Uzbekistan aimed at developing the economy and improving the lifestyle of the population. The changes that are observed in the lives of society and the state, above all, also lead to an increase in the need for electricity. Much of the electricity in the Republic is produced at thermal power plants (TPP). In turn, the issue of protecting the environment and ensuring environmental sustainability is one of the most important aspects of today. Therefore, the transition to renewable energy sources is gaining importance every day.
The development of green energy requires a large amount of financial investment. Experts say that Uzbekistan has both the potential to attract investors to the energy sector and the interest expressed by foreign investors in the sector.
According to the Ministry of Energy, up to now in the Republic of Uzbekistan, nine large solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 1.6 GW have started in Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya. In Andijan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Tashkent Regions, six large and small GES with a capacity of 183 MW were commissioned.
Countries that have developed in the transition to green energy in Uzbekistan have in particular established cooperative relations with Masdar, China Energy Engineering Corporation, China Energy International Group, China Gezhouba Group, and SEPCO III, Dongfang Electric Corporation of the United Arab Emirates.
Currently, Masdar has completed a project to build three photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 900 MW in the Jizzakh, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya regions, while the first phase of a 500 MW wind farm was completed in the Tomdi District of the Navoi region.
In addition, China Gezhouba Group of China has completed the construction of the first phase of two solar plants with a total capacity of 1000 MW in the Bukhara and Kashkadarya regions. Currently, work is underway on projects for the construction of 22 solar and wind farms with a capacity of 9 GW in Uzbekistan.
In total, by 2030, it is planned to bring the capacity of green energy sources to 27 GW. This makes it possible to produce 25 billion cubic metres of natural gas in Uzbekistan every year and reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere by 34 million tonnes.
Also, in the last 4-5 years, in cooperation with international companies for the construction of solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 7047 MW, 21 agreements were concluded and 5 contracts for the transportation of electricity generated for its own needs with a total capacity of 2030 MW were signed.
By 2026, Uzbekistan is expected to start operating solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of more than 8000 MW and new hydroelectric plants with a capacity of 868 MW.
It should be noted that it is required to create a free market in order to attract sufficient investment in the industry. Alternative energy sources can be solutions to most problems in the industry. However, even to deliver it to consumers, an excellent and outdated infrastructure is needed. In addition, this can only be done in the area where market laws are introduced.
