Uzbekistan

Country Profile

(.pdf file - 165 kB)

 

1. Overview

2. Policy and Incentives

 

3. Wind

4. Biomass

5. Solar

6. Geothermal

7. Hydroelectric

 

8. Links

9. References

10. Country Contacts

 

 

 

 

Uzbekistan achieved energy self-sufficiency after gaining independence in 1991, and is currently the largest producer of electricity among the Central Asian republics with a total installed generation capacity of around 11,200 MW. However, much of the nation’s power generation, transmission and distribution systems are outdated and inefficient, and maintenance of its power systems has deteriorated in recent years. Significant renovations and upgrades are required if the power industry in Uzbekistan is to meet growing demand. According to some estimates the power demand in Uzbekistan will exceed projected production by 10 percent in 2010.

Electricity production is dominated by natural gas thermal power plants, with smaller amounts of power produced from heavy oil and coal thermal power plants. Large natural gas facilities include the Syrdarya (3,000 MW), Tashkent (1,860 MW), and Navoi (1,250 MW) plants. The largest coal facilities, including Novo-Angren (2,100 MW), are in the vicinity of the Angren mine near Tashkent.

In addition to these thermal plants, approximately 13 percent of Uzbekistan’s electricity is produced at 28 hydroelectric power plants, the largest of which is the Charvak plant (620 MW). These combined generation resources make Uzbekistan the largest electricity generator among the Central Asian countries.

In total, Uzbekistan produces approximately 48,000 GWh of electricity. The vast majority of this electricity is consumed domestically; only about 1,000 GWh of energy is exported to neighboring nations. It is more common for Uzbekistan to export raw materials, such as natural gas, to neighboring nations for use in their own thermal power plants.

The renewable energy potential for remote off-grid areas of Uzbekistan is high, particularly for small hydropower, but only 30 percent of that potential is currently used. The government of Uzbekistan has developed a small-scale hydroelectric plants construction program in order to increase utilization effectiveness of the hydro energy potential of the rivers and irrigation channels of the country.

Uzbekistan

Country Summary Table

Uzbekistan Evolution of Electricity Generation by Fuel from 1992 to 2002

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Uzbekistan is currently working with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on the Formulation of a National Strategy on Development of Utilization of Renewable Sources of Energy in Uzbekistan.

The project is focused on formulating a national strategy for increased renewable energy utilization. It is aimed at creating ways to produce renewable energy in Uzbekistan, as well as creating the appropriate and sufficient conditions for sustainable development of renewable energy. The technical, economic, and social capacities of the country are considered.

The draft National Strategy will be based on best world practice suitable for the conditions of Uzbekistan. This includes legal acts on renewable energy sources (RES). The project will additionally be based on results and lessons gained from:

·          Development of National Program on Helioenergetics and a number of other documents related with RES, which were under development within previous years, however were not approved by the Government of Uzbekistan;

·          Implementation of international projects – UNDP project “Clean Energy for Rural Areas of Karakalpakstan”, UNDP project “Technology Transfer for Local Production of Solar Panels for Water Heating”, ADB (Asian Development Bank) project “Development of Utilization of Renewable Sources of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emission”.

Special emphasis in the scope of the project will be given to:

·          elaboration of drafts of regulatory and legal documents, ensuring implementation of the Strategy

·          development of a system of economic incentives for application of RES technologies and utilization of financial mechanisms for attracting investments for development of renewable power

·          issues of improvement of awareness of the population in the area of renewable energy

The project will contain four inter-related components: elaboration of the package of draft regulation documents on RES, proposals on the system of economic incentives for RES implementation, proposals on policies in the area of certification and standardization of products related to RES, and proposals on education and outreach activities in the area of renewable power.

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At present there are no wind power plants in operation in Uzbekistan.

In general Uzbekistan is characterized by weak winds. Average annual wind velocities are less than 3m/s. However, there are small territories with average annual velocities 5m/s and more. These territories are Aral Sea coast, Plato Ustyurt, some areas of steppe zone of Kyzylkums, zone of winds near Bekabad alternately in Eastern and western direction and a number of areas of mountain and foothill valleys-Pskem, Ahangaran, Boysun etc.

The wind energy potential of Uzbekistan is fair, with a potential generating capacity of around 100 MW. Although this is small relative to the generating capacity of existing power plants, environmental concerns and needs of remote locations may drive development of this potential.

The most promising sites would be the Aral Sea region, Karakalpakiya, and the Central region of the country, and a more in-depth study of the east coast of the Aral Sea would be worth performing.

Wind Atlas of Uzbekistan

 

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There are no data on realized biomass energy projects for Uzbekistan in the available references.

The area of forests in Uzbekistan is 14,400 km² or 3.2 percent from the overall territory. Uzbekistan is the first amongst former Soviet Union countries, and fourth in the world, in the production of raw cotton.  The population of Uzbekistan uses the waste from cultivating cotton and cereal crops as a fuel in private household equipment.

Uzbekistan Biomass Resource Data

Biomass resource type	Total production	Production density
Percent of total land area covered by
Forests	0%
Shrublands, savanna, and grasslands	47%
Cropland and crop/natural vegetation mosaic	27%
Urban and built-up areas	1%
Sparse or barren vegetation; snow and ice	18%
Wetlands and water bodies	7%
Primary crop production, tonne	(avg. 1999-2001, tonne)	(tonne /1000 Ha)
Total primary crops (rank among COO)	26,599,400  (9)	642  (22)
Top 10 primary crops
Mixed Grasses, Legumes	9,500,000	229
Maize for Forage & Silage	3,600,000	87
Wheat	3,416,833	82
Seed Cotton	3,302,100	80
Tomatoes	1,040,000	25
Cabbages	894,000	22
Vegetables and Roots, Fodder	816,667	20
Potatoes	729,200	18
Grapes	539,800	13
Watermelons	491,633	12
Animal units, number	(number)	(number / 1000 Ha)
Cattle	5,246,750	127
Poultry	14,171,000	342
Pigs	80,000	2
Equivalent animal units	5,420,460	131
Annual roundwood production	(1996-98, 000 m3)	(m3 / Ha)
Total	NA	NA
Fuel	NA	NA
Industrial	NA	NA
Wood-based panels	NA	NA
	(1996-98, 000 metric tons)	(metric tons / Ha)
Paper and paperboard	NA	NA
Recovered paper	NA	NA

 

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There has been some experimentation with solar energy in Uzbekistan. In 2003 the Technology Transfer Agency of Uzbekistan (TTA) and United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) solar-power initiative started a pilot project for the installation of solar energy units in remote villages. An American company supplied main solar cells for this project. UNDP has focused on Karakalpakstan as it is one of the most underdeveloped regions of Uzbekistan, and tends to get overlooked by development agencies, the government and foreign donors.

Solar energy can benefit over 900 remote villages and 4,500 sheep farms in areas where energy and water supply by conventional means is not feasible. The Technology Transfer Agency hopes that development of solar energy will receive more support in the future.

The use of solar energy in Uzbekistan currently consists mainly of use for solar hot water heaters.

Active scientific researches in the field of solar energy are carried out in Academy of Sciences of Republic Uzbekistan, in particular, in Scientific-Production Association “Physics-Sun”.

The climatic conditions of Uzbekistan for solar energy are the best among CIS states. However the material for compiling the maps of distribution of solar radiation incident is insufficient because of a small number of points where the measurements of solar radiation are carried out. Overall solar energy resource potential in Uzbekistan is characterized by the data presented in tables below. They show the monthly and annual incidence of total solar radiation on horizontal surface and direct solar radiation on a surface normal to beams.  The data represents three areas, Tashkent, Samarkand and Termez.

Monthly and annual total solar radiation
incident on horizontal surface, MJ/m²

	Tashkent	Samarkand	Termez
Jan	212	248	260
Feb	267	286	322
Mar	402	421	468
Apr	547	548	608
May	751	780	817
Jun	850	874	878
Jul	874	889	886
Aug	777	812	813
Sep	599