Is Uzbekistan a good place to invest in solar energy?

China’s Gezhouba Group and PowerChina are leading prospective solar projects. While progress on renewables is commendable, Uzbekistan is still heavily investing in the development of oil and gas and remains dependent on fossil gas to generate 85 percent of its electricity.

How much solar power is Uzbekistan pursuing?

The country is pursuing a total of 8.8 GW of prospective wind and large utility-scale solar power via projects that have either been announced or are in the pre-construction or construction phases. Uzbekistan’s prospective portfolio includes 5.6 GW of utility-scale solar and 3.1 GW of wind power at various stages of development.

How can Uzbekistan achieve energy security and decarbonization?

Facing the formidable task to achieve energy security and decarbonization, Uzbekistan needs to balance the need for a secure energy supply with other priorities such as reliability, affordability, and equity. Zhanaiym Kozybay is a researcher at Global Energy Monitor.

How much energy does Uzbekistan produce?

Currently, renewable energy sources account for about 10% of the total volume of electricity production in the country. Uzbekistan is one of the world’s largest natural gas producers, annually producing around 60bn m³, of which 35-40bn m³ are supplied by the Uzbekneftegaz joint-stock company. The domestic gas consumption is approximately 39bn m³.

Is Uzbekistan ready to phase out fossil fuels?

Uzbekistan also lacks a plan to phase out fossil fuels, weakening the country’s road to carbon neutrality by 2050. At the same time, ACWA Power is also planning to use at least 2.6 GW of its wind and solar farms solely for green hydrogen production, still a largely unproven technology.