Uzbekistan records new high in low-carbon energy segment

Uzbekistan recorded a new high in the low-carbon energy segment: as of September 23, solar and wind power plants produced 8 billion kWh, exceeding the August result of 7 billion kWh. This reflects the commissioning and stabilization of large renewable generation facilities, which form a new profile of the country's energy balance. Twelve solar power plants and five wind farms with a total installed capacity of 4,600 MW are in operation. The effect is expressed not only in additional production, but also in tangible resource savings: 2.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas were saved and emissions of more than 3.5 million tons of harmful substances were prevented. If we take into account the combined output of hydro, solar and wind generation, then from the beginning of the year to September 23, 13.2 billion kWh was produced — 22% of the country's total electricity, which confirms a steady turn towards a greener supply structure.

Record dynamics are also changing the market architecture. The growing share of variable generation forces us to accelerate the renewal of network infrastructure, expand the capacity of nodes and lines, implement intelligent dispatching systems and launch energy storage projects to smooth out daily peaks. For industry and utilities, this means greater predictability of supply during periods of high demand and less dependence on gas prices. On the demand side, there is growing interest in long-term electricity contracts, including corporate mechanisms for purchasing green energy to reduce costs and meet sustainable development goals.

The economic effect is expressed in the redistribution of gas from the electric power industry to export or deep processing, which increases the added value within the country. In the power system, there is space for modernizing gas generation — transferring some of the capacity to maneuver mode and increasing efficiency at existing stations. For private investors, projects with a long service life are becoming more attractive: improving the availability and predictability of wind and solar radiation, standardizing connection procedures, unifying technical requirements, and transparent settlement methods increase the bank's financiability of assets.

The social dimension is no less noticeable. Changing the generation structure improves environmental performance in industrial agglomerations and large cities. The expansion of the renewable energy portfolio is accompanied by the development of local competencies-from engineering and construction and installation works to operation, digital monitoring and maintenance, which creates a steady demand for qualified personnel. The sustainability of the results achieved is supported by economies of scale: as installed capacity increases, unit capital expenditures fall, and operational processes are unified, reducing commissioning times and increasing reliability.

The macro-level indicator — 22% of "green" output in the energy balance-sets a benchmark for subsequent investment decisions. Taking into account the proven gas savings and emission reduction indicators, the motivation to expand flexible capacities, build storage devices and digitalize networks is fixed at the system level. This makes it possible to synchronize the introduction of new renewable energy sources with the development of electricity consumption in industry, transport and housing, while maintaining the stability of the frequency-power regime and the quality of electricity supply. As a result, the market gets more predictability, and the economy — the basis for long-term growth based on clean technologies.