TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, August 24. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has proposed a new Samarkand solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage system (BESS) project to enhance Uzbekistan's renewable energy sector, Trend reports.
According to the bank, the project involves a 500 megawatt alternating current solar photovoltaic plant, 500 MWh battery energy storage system, transmission line and other auxiliary infrastructure and will be one of the first utility-scale renewable energy projects with BESS component in Uzbekistan.
The project, sponsored by ACWA Power, is part of Uzbekistan's broader strategy to boost renewable energy production to 12 GW. The project is expected to create bankable precedents and attract further private investment into Uzbekistan’s energy sector.
Earlier, the ADB and Masdar have signed an agreement for a $46.5 million loan to construct the Nur Bukhara solar power plant with a battery energy storage system in Uzbekistan's Bukhara region.
The financing package includes $26.5 million from the ADB's ordinary capital resources and $20 million from Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund, managed by the ADB.
The Nur Bukhara facility will generate 250 megawatts and store 126 megawatt-hours of energy. The project also includes building a 20-kilovolt substation and a 3.1-kilometer transmission line to connect to the grid.