The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, His Excellency Shavkat Mirziyoyev, inaugurated the Nur Bukhara project, the country's first utility-scale integrated solar and battery project, developed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar). The President also formally 'broke ground' on Masdar's 300-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) and 75-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) Guzar project during a ceremony in Tashkent.

His Excellency Jamshid Khodjaev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and H.E. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, witnessed the exchange of investment, transmission connection and battery storage system agreements for the Zarafshan BESS project, the nation's largest standalone battery project, and a development roadmap for a 1,000MW wind power project in the Navoiy region, which will form the first phase of a 2,000MW program.

Project Specifications and Capabilities

The Nur Bukhara project features a 250MW solar PV system combined with a 63MW/126 MWh battery energy storage system. The project can produce enough electricity to power over 55,000 homes while avoiding 367,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

The Guzar project, scheduled to begin operations in 2027, will be capable of powering 60,000 homes while avoiding over 400,000 tonnes of emissions. The 300MW/600 MWh Zarafshan BESS project is scheduled to begin operations in 2028 and will be capable of storing energy equivalent to powering approximately 1.3 million households for two hours. A second 300MW/600 MWh phase is also planned for the facility.

Strategic Partnership and Investment

H.E. Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, stated that the United Arab Emirates is a key partner of the Republic of Uzbekistan in developing the country's energy sector, particularly in renewable energy and strategic projects that support sustainable development. He noted that cooperation between the two countries has led to the delivery of transformative projects that enhance energy security and establish a leading model for the transition to clean, reliable energy sources.

“Through Masdar's projects, which have become among the fastest-growing in Central Asia with a capacity exceeding 2,000 megawatts, the UAE continues to support Uzbekistan's national efforts to develop a more efficient and sustainable energy infrastructure, contributing to long-term economic development that benefits future generations,” Al Mazrouei said.

These initiatives will add to Masdar's growing footprint in Uzbekistan, which includes around 2 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy capacity, with investments exceeding USD 2 billion.

Government Officials' Statements

H.E. Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, noted that friendly relations between the heads of state of Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates have reached a new level. During President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit in January, Uzbek-Emirati relations were elevated to a strategic partnership.

Mirzamahmudov explained that the UAE-based company Masdar was the first to establish cooperation on green energy development in Uzbekistan and launched the country's first solar photovoltaic power plant in 2021. In cooperation with Masdar, five solar power plants with a total capacity of 1,247 MW, one wind power plant with a capacity of 500 MW, and a 63 MW energy storage system were successfully commissioned in a short period. In addition, construction of a 300 MW solar photovoltaic power plant has begun.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: “Masdar is proud to be a longstanding partner in Uzbekistan's ambitious clean energy journey. The inauguration of Nur Bakhara represents a key milestone, bringing the benefits of integrated solar and battery storage at scale for the first time. The Guzar project, and the other agreements signed today, will expand our presence in Uzbekistan and further deepen our collaboration.”

National Energy Goals and Regional Context

With abundant wind and solar resources, Uzbekistan is targeting at least 25 GW of renewable energy capacity and generating 54 percent of power from renewables by 2030. President Mirziyoyev announced the latter goal at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week this year. These projects will support Uzbekistan's goals of reaching at least 25GW of renewable energy capacity and generating 54 percent of power from renewables by 2030.

The CIS region is a strategic market for Masdar, as it targets a global portfolio capacity of 100 GW by 2030. Beyond its footprint in Uzbekistan, the company has an active presence across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

In Uzbekistan and across its global markets, Masdar's work is anchored in its ability to deliver firm, competitively priced clean power, integrating solar, wind, and storage solutions that help relieve grid constraints and provide partners and customers with the reliable capacity they need as demand rises.

Masdar is also advancing large-scale energy storage innovation worldwide. In October, it broke ground on the world's first gigascale 24/7 solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi, featuring a 5.2GW solar plant integrated with a 19GWh BESS to deliver 1GW baseload renewable power. Upon completion, this will be the largest and most technologically advanced system of its kind globally.

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