Solar power in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a country in Central Asia with a growing demand for electricity. Solar power can play a role in meeting this demand, as the country has abundant solar resources and a strong potential for solar energy generation. The government of Uzbekistan has implemented several initiatives to promote the use of solar power, including the development of large-scale solar power plants and the introduction of incentives for individuals and businesses to install solar panels. Some of the benefits of solar power in Uzbekistan include reduced dependence on fossil fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improved energy security.

Government Policies

The Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES Law, 2019), introduced in May 2019, sets the fundamental framework for faster RES development. It specifies the guidelines and support schemes for renewable energy producers and defines the obligations of governmental bodies in promoting renewable energy.[1]

Potential

Map of average solar radiation in Uzbekistan.
Solar potential

Uzbekistan has great potential for solar energy due to its high levels of solar radiation and large areas of barren land that can be used for solar power plants. The country receives an average of around 300 sunny days per year, making it an ideal location for solar power generation.

Tashkent Sun Hours/day

Termez Sun Hours/day

Source: ECMWF Data[2]

Uzbekistan Police motorcycles and Uzbekistan Police box with solar panel on the roof
Police box with solar panel

Photovoltaics

Large scale photovoltaic power stations

Current

Largest photovoltaic power stations
PV Power station Location Capacity in

MWp

Commissioning Notes/Ref
Nur Navoi Solar park Karmana 100 2021 [3]
Nurabad Solar park Nurobod 100 2022 [4]

Future

Announced large-scale solar PV projects
PV Power station Location Capacity in

MWp

Year Developer BESS, MWh Notes/Ref
Kattaqurgon Solar park Kattakurgon 220 2023 Masdar [1]
Jizzakh Solar park G'allaorol 220 2023 Masdar [2]
Chuponota Solar park Chuponota, Samarkand city 100 Under construction[5]
Sherabad Solar park phase I Sherobod 200 Under construction
Sherabad Solar park phase II Sherobod 300 [6]
Guzor Solar park G'uzor 300 Announced tender on 3 December 2022
Nur Jizzakh Solar pland Kattakurgan district 220 Masdar [3][4]
Samarkand 1000 Acwa Power 400 [5]
Tashkent 400 Acwa Power [6][7]
Kashkadarya/Bukhara 1000 2024 China Energy [8]
Uch-Uchak Solar Project Khorazm Region 123 2024 Voltalia SA [9]
Bukhara Solar Project 250 2024 Masdar 62 [10]
Nur Sherabad Surxondaryo Region 457 Masdar [11][12]
Other small photovoltaic (PV) power plants
PV Power station Capacity in MWh Notes/Ref
Amirsoy Solar Park 1 1MWh capacity solar park to aim eco-resort.
Yangiobod Solar Park 0,13 One of the first solar parks in Uzbekistan commissioned in 2015[7]
Uratasaroy Solar park 0,04 Constructed by Korean Energy Agency (KEA), annual output 100,000kWh.[8]

Rooftop

In addition to mega-scale solar projects, small- to medium-scale solar projects including rooftop solar PV become attractive to developers and consumers thanks to appropriate policy targets and measures. Off-grid solar energy systems could secure clean energy supply in remote areas with good solar resources but no access to the grid.

Residential Solar PV

Uzbekistan is actively developing, with the assistance of the World Bank, a targeted program to install two-kilowatt solar panels in 150,000 private houses. Installation work is planned to be carried out in 2021-2023.[9] Also, funds were allocated by local governments for the installation of solar panels in the apartments of low-income families.[10] Because the cost of installing solar panels is high relative to the income of the population, they are not becoming widely popular despite state subsidies.

Mirrors of Solar furnace in Parkent

Non-residential PV

Installation of Solar panels on schools, governmental offices, hospitals and public buildings is accelerated by The Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources (adopted in May 2019).[11] The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has joined the "green" energy with installing 0,63MWh solar photovoltaic station at the building of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.[12] In the year of 2022, 300kWh capacity solar panels installed at Tashkent city hall building, 100kWh at the Tashkent branch of Mendeleev Institute, and State Tax committee became 80% self-sufficient by solar.[13]

Research and development

International Institute of Solar Energy, part of Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, is a center for research, development, and testing of solar power technologies.[14] Solar furnace in Parkent is used in the research and scientific processes of the Materials Science Institute of Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The facility has a total capacity of 1,000 kW and is heated and processed by solid state fusion processes and sunlight.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Uzbekistan 2022 Energy Policy Review" (PDF). 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 Oct 2022.
  2. ^ "Climate Data".
  3. ^ "100 MW Nur Navoi Solar Project".
  4. ^ "ЭНЕРГЕТИКА ВАЗИРЛИГИ: САМАРҚАНД ВИЛОЯТИДА ЙИРИК ҚУЁШ ФОТОЭЛЕКТР СТАНЦИЯСИ ИШГА ТУШИРИЛДИ".
  5. ^ "Quyosh energiyasi: Samarqandda imkoniyat qanday?".
  6. ^ "Sherabad Phase II Solar PV Park, Uzbekistan". December 8, 2021.
  7. ^ "700 ming dollarlik quyosh elektr stantsiyasi quvvati 14ta uyga yetadi". Озодлик Радиоси. 6 January 2015.
  8. ^ "Yuqori-Chirchiq tumanida 40 kVt quvvatli quyosh fotoelektr stansiyasi ishga tushirildi". 5 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Solar panels to be installed in 150,000 homes in Uzbekistan". Kunuz. 31 January 2020.
  10. ^ ""Temir daftar"dagi oilalar xonadonlariga quyosh panellari oʻrnatish uchun mablagʻ ajratildi". 30 November 2022.
  11. ^ "Legal and regulatory framework" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 Oct 2022.
  12. ^ "The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan has joined the "green" energy". 14 November 2022. Archived from the original on Dec 7, 2022.
  13. ^ "Qudbiyev: Soliq qo'mitasi markaziy binosi 80 foizga o'zini elektr energiyasi bilan ta'minlamoqda". Kun.uz. 6 March 2022.
  14. ^ "Quyosh energiyasi xalqaro instituti".