Large industrial enterprises of Uzbekistan switch to renewable energy

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the presentation of measures to provide large industrial enterprises of the country with renewable energy sources. As part of the strategy to create a sustainable energy system, Uzbekistan is actively developing "green" energy. To date, the industry has attracted about $ 6 billion in foreign direct investment. The country's electricity production has increased from 59 billion kilowatt-hours to 82 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

Population growth, which is projected to exceed 41 million people by 2030, and the expected expansion of the economy to $ 200 billion will require a significant increase in energy capacity. In this context, special attention is paid to the introduction of renewable energy sources and improving energy efficiency.

During the presentation, current projects and plans for the coming years were presented. In 2025, it is planned to put into operation 12 solar and 4 wind power plants, as well as 12 energy storage systems. The total investment in these projects exceeds $ 5 billion, and the total design capacity is about 9 billion kilowatt-hours. Additionally, 11 new projects will be launched this year with investments worth $ 7.2 billion.

Special emphasis is placed on rational use of energy and reduction of losses. The President instructed to reduce excess electricity consumption at large industrial enterprises and provide them with modern energy-efficient equipment. 18 key sectors of the economy account for about a third of the country's total electricity consumption. Significant costs are observed in the water management system: pumps alone consume 6.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

In order to optimize energy consumption, it is planned to modernize 12 major pumping units with the installation of solar power plants with a capacity of 75 to 100 megawatts and storage systems for 50 megawatts next to them. These measures will reduce the annual energy consumption of pumps from 6.5 to 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours. Priority will be given to the modernization of facilities on the Karshi Main Canal, where the cost of water supply remains the highest.

In the oil and gas industry, it is planned to use solar energy for an annual output of at least 600 million kilowatt-hours. For this purpose, photovoltaic plants with a capacity of 240 megawatts and storage systems with a capacity of 300 megawatts will be installed.

The meeting considered measures to transfer 18 energy-intensive industries to an autonomous power supply system. Special attention is paid to the use of solar energy in social institutions, which will reduce the load on traditional sources and increase the stability of the energy system.