UAE’s Masdar to develop over 2GW of clean energy in Uzbekistan

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has sealed a joint development agreement (JDA) with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy (MoE) and the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade to develop solar and wind projects over 2 gigawatts (GW) and 500 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage at multiple sites across the Central Asian country.

Uzbekistan, which aims to achieve 25 percent of its energy mix from renewables by 2030, is a strategic destination for Masdar. The country plans to achieve 7GW of solar and 5GW of wind capacity by the end of the decade.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, chairman of Masdar, and COP28 President-Designate said; “The UAE is fully committed to supporting countries to decarbonise.  Uzbekistan is a key strategic partner, and we continue to work together to deliver renewable energy projects that power homes and businesses, while crucially cutting emissions. The world needs to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 to reach the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

“As we prepare to host COP28 in the UAE, we believe ambitious partnerships with countries like Uzbekistan are vital in helping to meet this target.”

The signing ceremony was held on May 17 in the Central Asian country.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said: “Our agreement to develop 2GW of solar and expand into 500MWh of battery storage, marks an exciting new chapter for the countries.”

Masdar and Uzbekistan

Masdar has been active in Uzbekistan since 2019, with the 100 megawatts (MW) Nur Navoi Solar Project, which is the nation’s first successfully financed independent power producer solar project. The plant has been operational since 2021.

The company’s growing portfolio in the country includes the largest wind farm in Central Asia, the 500MW capacity Zarafshan plant.

Last month, Masdar reached financial close on three solar projects in Jizzakh, Samarkand and Sherabad, which have a combined capacity of around 900 megawatts – making it the largest solar development program in Central Asia. Once fully operational, the projects will generate enough electricity to power over one million homes, while displacing around one million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Overall, Masdar is active in more than 40 countries and has invested in a portfolio of renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of more than 20GW.

Masdar is committed to achieving at least 100GW total renewable energy capacity by 2030.