TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 11. Under the guidance of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, the wheels have been set in motion for the construction of a whopping 500 megawatt solar power plant in the Beshariq district of the Fergana region, Trend reports.
According to the Uzbek president’s office, a German business called Hyper Partners will be involved in the joint building of the plant.
The first 200 megawatts of the $350 million project will be connected to the grid this year and fully launched next year. The plant will generate 1.6 billion KWh of green energy per year, equivalent to the annual consumption of 675,000 households. As a result, 466 million cubic meters of natural gas will be saved.
The plant will contribute to energy security, increase economic efficiency, and improve environmental sustainability.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan plans to increase its share of renewable energy to 40 percent by 2030.
The country will connect the first 2.6 GW of 14 solar and wind power plants to the grid this year. As a result, the share of renewable energy in Uzbekistan's total electricity generation will increase from 9 percent to 15 percent.
Currently, Uzbekistan is building 32 green energy facilities with a total capacity of 18.3 GW worth $19 billion, jointly with foreign partners.