Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) – Today, there is significant dynamics of cooperation between Uzbekistan and China in “green energy”. This involves cooperation in the use of technologies that promote environmental efficiency and sustainability, including innovative solutions and advanced technologies to achieve eco-goals.

As the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted, the country is implementing an extensive program to reform and increase the sustainability of the energy system. In recent years, favorable conditions have been created for the active participation of leading foreign companies in this area.

Projects to expand the use of renewable energy potential in Uzbekistan are being successfully implemented with such Chinese companies as China Energy Engineering Corporation, China Energy International Group, Dongfang Electric Corporation.

Among them, it is important to highlight the company “China Gezhouba Group”, which completed the construction of the first stage of solar stations in Bukhara and Kashkadarya worth US$350 million each, with a total capacity of 1000 megawatts.

In this regard, it is necessary to pay attention to the participation of the Head of Uzbekistan in December 2023 in the solemn ceremony of commissioning and connecting to the network five solar and one wind power plants in six regions of our country with a total capacity of 2,400 megawatts.

Uzbekistan is now actively collaborating with Chinese and foreign partners on projects for the construction of 22 solar and wind power plants with a capacity of 9 gigawatts. Our country is interested in further expanding our fruitful partnership in the field of green energy.

It should be emphasized that Uzbekistan and China have also made significant progress in the field of hydropower. In particular, the Chinese side will participate in the preparation of a feasibility study for the projects “Construction of the Naryn hydroelectric power station cascade in the Namangan region” and “Construction of the Aygain hydroelectric power station cascade in the Bostanlyk district of the Tashkent region.”

This will contribute to the effective implementation of the “Program for the transition to a green economy and ensuring green growth in the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030,” approved in December 2022.

According to the Program, by 2030 it is planned to increase the capacity of “green” power plants to 27 gigawatts. This will allow to save annually 25 billion cubic meters of natural gas, reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere by 34 million tons.

In this regard, it is important to highlight the observed strong growth of the renewable energy sources (RES) sector in China. According to forecasts, this upward trend will continue over the next ten years, mainly due to the development of solar and wind energy.

Despite the fact that coal energy still plays a significant role in China’s energy balance, experts argue that its share will gradually decline. This will be the result of strong growth in the renewable energy sector.

According to the National Energy Administration of China (NEA), by the end of 2023, the total installed capacity of Chinese power plants powered by renewable energy sources for the first time exceeded the potential of thermal power plants (TPPs), and reached 50% of the country’s total energy capacity.

Currently, the installed capacity of power plants in China powered by renewable energy sources is 1.45 TW, and the total capacity of the country’s power plants is 2.9 TW.

Data show that from the beginning of 2023 to the present day, power plants powered by renewable energy sources have provided about a third of total electricity consumption in China.

Experts attribute this growth dynamic to the commissioning of large-scale renewable energy projects delayed due to the effects of the pandemic, as well as the continuous and rapid expansion of the solar and wind equipment market sector, in which China is currently one of the world leaders.

China accounts for about 33% of the world’s renewable generation and more than half of its energy storage capacity.

Considering China’s experience in the field of green energy, cooperation between Uzbekistan and China seems promising in the construction and implementation of large projects in the field of renewable energy sources and the use of energy efficient technologies.

Undoubtedly, the state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 23-25 January to the People’s Republic of China will be a powerful catalyst for the exchange of advanced achievements and the establishment of cooperation between countries in creating a future sustainable “green” development.

Shavkat Alimbekov
Leading researcher at the International Institute of Central Asia