BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Uzbekistan has particular promising potential in the development of wind and solar power, Trend reports citing EBRD.
The topic of taking the energy transformation of Uzbekistan to the next stage was discussed during an international roundtable organized by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank Group and the government.
Although rich in oil and gas reserves, Uzbekistan has embarked on an ambitious and far-reaching plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eventually achieve carbon neutrality of the domestic energy sector by 2050.
The country plans to focus on the development of low-carbon energy sources including solar, hydro and wind energy.
The EBRD has supported Uzbekistan in development of a roadmap towards carbon neutrality. The Bank is providing technical support and assistance in financing, in particular, the development and implementation of projects for large-scale power plants based on renewables, the implementation of solutions for the modernization of the power grid, the decommissioning, modernization and conversion of old power plants.
Uzbekistan has particular promising potential in the development of wind and solar power and the EBRD most recently signed some of the first private investments in the sector such as the solar photovoltaic plants in Nur Navoi and Samarkand.
Topics raised include progress, challenges, barriers and new reforms in the renewables sector; how to create an enabling environment for renewables, including legal and regulatory framework and institutional responsibilities; the government’s plans for the transition to a competitive wholesale electricity market; clean energy transition and decarbonization of the energy sector, and more.
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