1 5 kw solar inverter factory in Uzbekistan

Large-scale solar PV projects have been subject to competitive bidding processes in Uzbekistan since 2019 and an awarded project can sign a long-term contract with NEGU at a fixed tariff, as noted above. The government of Uzbekistan also aims to develop small- and medium-scale solar projects.

For comparison, the area of the hydropower reservoirs are more than 15 times the size of the world's largest solar park in India, which has an installed capacity of 2.25 GW. In this regard, the potential of floating solar PV on the hydropower reservoirs is a realistic opportunity to further increase solar PV capacity in Uzbekistan.

variable solar electricity benefits from the local flexibility provided by dispatchable, highly flexible hydropower, thus limiting impacts on the power system. There are currently 25 reservoirs in Uzbekistan, with a total water surface of 1 500 km 2, 4 of which are hydropower reservoirs totalling 890 km 2 (CAWater, 2021).

The agreements include the development of three solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Tashkent and Samarkand and three Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarkand, with a total capacity of 1.4 GW of additional renewable energy and 1.5 GWh of additional battery storage capacity.

Uzbekistan has made a positive effort toward that end, including by setting clear targets and reforming the energy sector and has been progressing toward achieving the solar power capacity target of 4 GW by 2026 and 5 GW by 2030.

Nevertheless, a more comprehensive set of policies and support mechanisms will be required to reach Uzbekistan's maximum capacity of solar energy and further increase solar energy toward 2030. The government should consider bundling the range of actions needed to ensure the use of all types of solar energy resources.