Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- During the trip of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to Khorezm region on 29 February, a ceremony was held to launch the construction of a photovoltaic station with a capacity of 100 megawatts by Voltalia.

The state pays special attention to the development of renewable energy; large programs are being implemented in this direction. Over the past three years, more than US$2 billion of foreign investment has been attracted to the regions to launch solar and wind generation capacities. As a result, 9 large solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 2.6 gigawatts were connected to the network in Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand, and Surkhandarya.

Projects are being implemented in cooperation with developed countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, and France.

At the ceremony, the President emphasized the strategic importance of this sector.

Stability in the energy industry, especially in the context of global integration, is a strategic goal of every state. Renewable energy sources are considered a key factor in modern development and diversification of the economy, noted Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The goal was noted to increase the share of “green energy” in Uzbekistan’s electricity generation to 15 percent this year, and by 2030 to cover 40 percent of the country’s energy needs from renewable sources.

Last year, the Solar Home program was also launched, aimed at stimulating public interest in alternative energy. It provides for the provision of preferential resources and tax preferences to stimulate the use of solar energy among the population, as well as the introduction of a system of guaranteed government purchase of surplus generated electricity.

It gets results. For example, in Khorezm, more than 2,000 households and 855 entrepreneurs installed solar panels with a capacity of 15 megawatts, producing 320 thousand kilowatt-hours of electricity in excess of the demand, which was purchased by the state.

Now, i Tuprakkala district of the region, the construction of another complex is beginning - a solar power plant with a capacity of 100 megawatts by the French company "Voltalia".

This will be the first such large project in Khorezm. The result will be 254 million kilowatt-hours of green energy generated per year, covering 11 percent of the region's annual electricity consumption. It is planned to connect the station to the network by the end of the year.

The implementation of the project will increase the volume of electricity generation in Khorezm by 30 percent – up to 424 megawatts. In particular, this will fully satisfy the annual demand of the Tuprakkala region of 135 million kilowatt-hours.

In addition, it will make it possible to transfer 40 percent of excess energy to neighboring areas, providing stable electricity supply to 85 thousand households.

Most importantly, the station will save 76 million cubic meters of natural gas and prevent the release of 106 thousand tons of harmful substances into the atmosphere.

Separately, it is worth noting that within the framework of this project, the experience of agrovoltaics will be used for the first time, which combines energy production and agriculture in one area, allowing the cultivation of crops under solar panels.

Expressing gratitude to the investor and engineers, the head of state emphasized that such innovative projects strengthen multifaceted cooperation between Uzbekistan and France.

I congratulate you all on these new capacities, which will breathe new life into the economy of not only Khorezm region, but also our entire country,” the President said.