With an average of 330 sunny days a year and huge potential for solar energy, Uzbekistan has set an ambitious goal to generate 30% of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030.
One factor in making this plan a reality is harnessing the sun’s energy so international private investors are increasingly attracted to the country by the large-scale solar projects.
Launched in July 2022, one of the first solar station plants in Uzbekistan, the Tutly solar farm, was developed by the French company Total Eren and is producing enough energy to supply the needs of 140,000 households – about 270,000 kWh per year – working at a capacity of 131MWt (megawatt thermals).
According to Total Eren’s managing director for Uzbekistan, Ayzada Seitniyazova, the company only installed the latest technologies and aims to construct more large-scale solar projects in the country.
The international investments in renewable energy projects in Uzbekistan have had their way paved by reforms in recent years with the state giving long-term guarantees to buy out green electricity and tenders organized with the support of international organizations.
In its efforts to structure renewable energy Private Public Partnership (PPP) projects, Uzbekistan has the help of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is a member of the World Bank Group.
Per Zafar Khashimov, Senior Country Officer with the IFC, international investors from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, Japan, and Korea, among other countries, have shown great interest in those tenders allowing Uzbekistan to receive very competitive tariffs.
According to data he provided, Uzbekistan has so far implemented projects with a total capacity of more than 1000 MW in solar energy, 800 MW of which is at the stage of tenders.
Owners of private houses in Uzbekistan have recently been allowed to buy solar panels in interest-free installments – or a 30% reimbursement if they pay it all at once – via a digital online platform recently launched by Uzbekistan’s government
Uzbekistan’s small and medium businesses are also starting to use solar energy with those in the agriculture sector turning it to green energy.
