Masdar has inaugurated the 100MW Nur Navoi solar farm in Uzbekistan, the country’s first utility-scale PV development.
The project is also the first successfully-financed independent power producer (IPP) solar farm in the country.
Once fully operational, the plant will produce enough power for 31,000 households and displace around 150,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.
Masdar signed agreements in 2019 with Uzbekistan and JSC National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan to design, finance, build, own and operate the solar plant.
The company established Nur Navoi Solar as the local project company to deliver the PV plant, and to operate and maintain it over a 25-year period.
Uzbekistan president Shavkat Mirziyoyev (pictured) said: “In the next five years, we plan to increase our economy’s growth rate by 1.5 times, and bring GDP to at least $100bn.
“Thousands of new industrial enterprises, both medium and large will be launched, and electricity demand is set to reach 100 billion kilowatt-hours – 30 billion more than now.
“Therefore, we have very big plans for new reforms and projects in the electric power industry.
“In the next five years, 19 projects worth $6.5bn will be launched to create 11,500MW of new capacity.”
Uzbekistan Minister of Energy Alisher Sultanov said: “Uzbekistan has been working closely with the IFC to open up the country’s power sector to private investment and to help us reach our goal of 25% of energy consumption deriving from renewable sources by 2030.
“We have a huge variety of projects underway, and already completed.
“It is my great pleasure to update audiences on our progress. Uzbekistan is committed to policy goals to improve energy efficiency and increase renewable energy’s share of the country’s energy mix.”
Masdar chief executive Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said: “This is a historic occasion for Uzbekistan and a proud moment for all of us at Masdar as we take this vital step in Uzbekistan’s clean-energy journey.
“The Nur Navoi solar project will play a significant role in Uzbekistan’s energy transition and in achieving its climate change objectives.
“I look forward to continuing our highly successful collaboration with the government of Uzbekistan, through our strong portfolio of wind and solar projects with a total capacity of around 2.5GW in the country, a key strategic investment destination for Masdar.”
In July, Masdar signed agreements to develop two more PV projects in the country for a combined capacity of 440MW.
Commercial operation of the projects, which will be located in the Samarkand and Jizzakh regions of Uzbekistan, is expected to start in the first quarter of 2023.
Masdar has also won the tender for another solar project in Uzbekistan, for a 457MW plant in the Sherabad district of the Surkhandarya province.
Masdar has also agreed to develop, build and operate a 500MW wind farm in Zarafshan, and in April, the company signed an Implementation Agreement with the government to extend the capacity of the project to up to 1.5GW.