Uzbekistan stimulates the development of “green” energy
Uzbekistan stimulates the development of “green” energy
On May 30, 2021, in the city of Seoul, South Korea via videoconference was held the Second International Summit "Partnership for Green Growth and Global Goals – 2030" (P4G).
Uzbekistan stimulates the development of “green” energy
The agenda of the two-day forum was includedissues of overcoming the consequences of climate change, green recovery and ensuring carbon neutrality, as well as the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The event was attended by the heads of state and government, high-level representatives of the leading countries of the world, heads of authoritative international organizations.

Among them is the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Presidents of the European Council Charles Michel and the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, President of France Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang, U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, Chair of the Global Green Growth Institute Ban Ki-moon and OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.

Central Asia was represented at the international summit by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The President of Uzbekistan outlined the key directions of the reforms being carried out in Uzbekistan and shared his vision of the prospects for international cooperation in green recovery.

Head of Uzbekistan emphasized that it is necessary to unite the efforts of the entire international community to make effective decisions on green and sustainable development.

Overcoming the global consequences of the Aral Sea catastrophe was identified as one of the priority tasks. In this regard, the Leader of Uzbekistan thanked all international partners for their support of the recently adopted, on the initiative of Uzbekistan, a special resolution of the UN General Assembly on declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovations and technologies. It was proposed to continue active joint work in this direction, including within the framework of the specially created UN Trust Fund, the Global Green Growth Institute, on the platform of the P4G Partnership and other international institutions.

Serious concern was expressed about the reduction in the flow of transboundary rivers and biodiversity in the Central Asia region due to climate change, the problems of greenhouse gases and air pollution.

The commitment of Uzbekistan to fulfill its obligations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 under the Paris Agreement was confirmed.

It was noted that the widespread introduction of green technologies and the implementation of projects in green energy in Uzbekistan will allow in the next ten years to increase the share of renewable energy sources by more than 3 times.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward an initiative to hold in Uzbekistan in 2022 an International Conference “Green Energy for Developing Countries”, as well as to launch a special program to attract young people to create a green economy for forming a culture of green consumption.

The President declared Uzbekistan’s readiness to join the P4G Partnership and become its full-fledged participant to enhance practical cooperation in this important area.

Meanwhile, the Government of Uzbekistan has already launched a number of projects in the field of “green” energy.

In particular, on June 1, 2021, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev launched the construction of a solar photovoltaic station in the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan bordering Afghanistan.

After a two-stage competition involving 50 companies, the UAE company Masdar has offered the lowest tariff and thus has won the bidding process. The Asian Development Bank provided technical and financial advice for the tender.

As part of the project, the Masdar company will build a solar photovoltaic station with a capacity of 457 MW in Sherabad district. A new 220 kW substation and a 52-kilometer transmission line will also be erected.

A plot of 601 hectares has been selected for the station. Masdar will attract US$260 million in direct investment. The station will have an annual production capacity of 1.04 billion kWh.

The implementation of the project will save 340 million cubic meters of natural gas per year, and 300,000 households will be supplied with electricity.

A thousand people will be involved in the construction of the photovoltaic plant, and 120 specialists in operation. The launch of this large facility is slated for August 2023.

– The emergence of an opportunity to purchase electricity at a cost of 1.8 cents per kilowatt-hour is a very great success for the economy of Uzbekistanand an important factor in ensuring the well-being of the population. In general, the construction of this station, the energy it generates and the new infrastructure will give a powerful impetus to the comprehensive development of the region, the Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted.

At the ceremony of starting construction of the “green object” attended by Vice President of the Asian Development Bank Ashok Lavasa and the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure of the UAE.

This project is part of the program for the construction of solar photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 1 GW, implemented by the government of Uzbekistan with the support of the Asian Development Bank.

It is planned to build solar stations with a capacity of 200 megawatts in the Samarkand and Jizzakh regions, wind farms for 100 megawatts in the Beruniy and Karauzyak districts of Karakalpakstan, as well as 3 wind farms with a total capacity of 1.5 thousand megawatts in Bukhara and Navoi.

Uzbekistan has set a goal to bring the capacity of solar power plants up to 5 thousand, wind power plants – up to 3 thousand, hydroelectric power plants – up to 4 thousand megawatts by 2030.