Uzbekistan Invests €9.46 Billion in Clean Energy to Enhance Power

Uzbekistan is positioned to transition to 100% clean electricity by 2026. The government aims to generate 23 billion kilowatt-hours of green energy to meet the annual electricity consumption of its population. This initiative was announced by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the forum titled “Powering the Future: Sustainable Energy for New Uzbekistan.”

€9.46 Billion Investment in Clean Energy

The government has launched 42 renewable energy projects, valued at €9.46 billion. These projects encompass a variety of generation facilities, energy storage systems, substations, and high-voltage networks. Key components include:

• 16 facilities including solar, wind, thermal, and hydropower plants with a total capacity of 3,500 megawatts.
• 10 utility-scale energy storage systems with a cumulative capacity of 1,245 megawatts.
• 11 new substations and the construction of 420 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines.

Mirziyoyev highlighted the dual objectives of these initiatives: ensuring uninterrupted power supply and promoting modern, eco-friendly, renewable energy sources.

Foreign Investment and Collaborative Efforts

In recent years, Uzbekistan’s energy sector has attracted approximately €30 billion in foreign investment. This influx has enabled the addition of 9,000 megawatts of new capacity since 2017. Total electricity generation is projected to rise from 60 billion kilowatt-hours in previous years to 85 billion by 2024.

International collaborations play a vital role, with companies from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the UAE, China, France, and Qatar heavily involved. Notable examples include:

• ACWA Power from Saudi Arabia, which contributed over 2,500 megawatts this year.
• Voltalia from France, which has signed agreements for a 200-megawatt hybrid project and plans a 500-megawatt storage project.
• Electricite de France (EDF) Central Asia, involved in constructing gas-fired power plants with international partners.

Environmental Goals and Future Plans

Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov indicated that expanding renewable energy could lower natural gas consumption by nearly 7 billion cubic meters and cut harmful emissions by 11 million tons. By 2030, Uzbekistan plans to introduce over 17,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity, boosting its renewable energy share to 54% of total generation.

To achieve these goals, 6,000 kilometers of high-voltage networks are set for construction, with 1,000 kilometers targeted for the upcoming year. Progress was also reported at the COP-30 climate conference regarding the iCraft initiative, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 23 million tons.

Expanding Public-Private Partnerships

Uzbekistan is now extending public-private partnerships to energy distribution. Recently, the Samarkand regional grid was privatized, managed by Turkiye’s Aksa Elektrik. This partnership is expected to reduce operational losses and save approximately €17.2 million annually.

Furthermore, small-scale renewable energy projects are gaining traction. A new initiative aims to install 107 megawatts of rooftop and micro-solar plants, targeting 30,000 low-income families who can also sell surplus electricity back to the grid.

Regional Cooperation Initiatives

Uzbekistan is strengthening energy cooperation with neighboring countries. In the coming year, funding for the Kambarata-1 hydropower project will commence, in collaboration with Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. There’s also continuous work on the Green Energy Corridor project with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, which aims to extend Central Asian electricity exports to Europe.