Uzbekistan's President Inaugurates Nation's First Utility-Scale Solar And Battery Storage Project

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has inaugurated the Nur Bukhara project, marking the country's first large-scale solar and battery initiative. Developed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, this project signifies a significant step in Uzbekistan's renewable energy journey. During a ceremony in Tashkent, President Mirziyoyev also initiated Masdar’s 300-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) and 75-megawatt hours (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) Guzar project.

The collaboration between Uzbekistan and the UAE is further strengthened by agreements for the Zarafshan BESS project, which will be the largest standalone battery project in Uzbekistan. This includes a roadmap for a 1,000MW wind power project in Navoiy, forming part of a larger 2,000MW programme. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE's Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, highlighted the UAE's role as a key partner in developing Uzbekistan's energy sector.

Al Mazrouei stated that the cooperation between both nations has resulted in transformative projects enhancing energy security and promoting clean energy sources. "Through Masdar’s projects, which have become among the fastest-growing in Central Asia with a capacity exceeding 2,000 megawatts," he said, "the UAE continues to support Uzbekistan’s national efforts to develop a more efficient and sustainable energy infrastructure."

Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, Uzbekistan's Minister of Energy, noted that relations between Uzbekistan and the UAE have reached new heights. He mentioned that during President Mirziyoyev’s visit in January, Uzbek-Emirati relations were elevated to strategic partnership status. "The UAE company Masdar was the first to establish cooperation in the development of green energy in Uzbekistan," he added.

Masdar has been instrumental in launching several renewable projects in Uzbekistan. These include five solar power plants with a total capacity of 1,247 MW and one wind power plant with 500 MW capacity. Additionally, a 63 MW energy storage system was commissioned swiftly. The construction of another 300 MW solar PV plant has also commenced.

The Nur Bukhara project alone can generate enough electricity to power over 55,000 homes while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 367,000 tonnes annually. The Guzar project aims to power 60,000 homes from 2027 onwards while cutting emissions by over 400,000 tonnes.

Future Prospects

The Zarafshan BESS project is expected to start operations in 2028. It will store enough energy to power around 1.3 million households for two hours. A second phase is planned for this facility as well. These initiatives contribute significantly to Masdar’s growing presence in Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan aims for at least 25GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and plans to generate over half its power from renewables by then. President Mirziyoyev announced this goal at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week earlier this year.

CIS Region Strategy

The CIS region remains strategic for Masdar as it targets a global portfolio capacity of 100GW by 2030. Besides Uzbekistan, Masdar is active across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia within this region.

Masdar’s work globally focuses on delivering competitively priced clean power through integrated solar, wind and storage solutions. This approach helps alleviate grid constraints while providing reliable capacity as demand increases.

Globally advancing large-scale energy storage innovation is also part of Masdar's strategy. In October, it began constructing the world’s first gigascale solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi featuring a massive solar plant integrated with an extensive BESS system.

"Masdar is proud to be a longstanding partner in Uzbekistan’s ambitious clean energy journey," said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar. "The inauguration of Nur Bakhara represents a key milestone." He expressed gratitude towards President Mirziyoyev and the Government of Uzbekistan for their continued trust and support.

With inputs from WAM