BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 3
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
US Agency for International Development’ (USAID) provides Uzbek energy specialists with global practice tools to facilitate the smooth integration of renewable energy into regional trade in Central Asia, Information Officer of US Embassy in Tashkent Susannah Wood told Trend, commenting on current projects being implemented in Uzbekistan's energy sector.
Wood noted that USAID supports regional cooperation on shared energy resources, with a particular focus on increasing access to clean, reliable, and affordable energy throughout the region.
“USAID is committed to helping Uzbekistan liberalize the power sector to encourage greater private investment, rebuild a regional Central Asian power market, and generate low-cost energy using a diverse mix of energy resources - particularly wind, solar, hydro, and biomass,” she said.
“USAID is assisting Uzbekistan in creating an enabling environment for private sector investments in low-cost renewable energy and energy efficiency projects that will lead to greater competition, consequently driving down the costs,” Wood explained.
According to Wood, USAID also plays a major role in advancing the Central Asia Regional Electricity Market (CAREM) in helping to advance regional electricity connectivity.
“CAREM will support a regional power market that can deploy the lowest-cost power from across Central and South Asian countries to meet the needs of each country, lowering costs in support of greater economic and social development,” the officer stressed.
Furthermore, USAID is bringing global best practices, technologies and analysis to Uzbekistan to plan and build a national power grid that is capable of integrating high-levels of renewable energy, helping the country reach its clean energy goals.
“For example, in November 2020, USAID conducted a workshop series for Uzbek energy specialists on energy storage technologies and how they support stable and secure renewable energy generation and grid integration,” Wood added.
She emphasized that in addition to stabilizing the Uzbek grid, energy storage would allow the country to develop flexible generation capacities and become a responsible member of a regional electricity market.
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