On March 26, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev led a meeting to address the enhancement and effective utilization of energy resources. The majority of energy consumption is attributed to economic sectors. However, many factories built in previous years do not meet current environmental and energy efficiency standards, and issues related to modernization have been neglected. This has resulted in frequent electricity and gas disruptions for the population and enterprises in certain regions, as well as high levels of energy consumption and resource loss in industrial enterprises.
To combat these issues, energy efficiency principles have been increasingly implemented in economic sectors in recent years. A targeted program has been put in place to address major enterprises and specific areas within the energy sector. Additionally, Uzbekistan’s population is projected to reach 41 million by 2030, and the economy is expected to double in size, resulting in a 1.5-fold increase in energy demand. Therefore, alongside launching new projects and expanding production capacities, it is crucial to implement energy-saving measures.
During the meeting, the heads of responsible agencies provided reports on ongoing activities. Following the President’s instructions and building on the successful experiences of the previous year, collaborative research with scholars is being conducted to identify energy-saving opportunities at the local level. For example, studies in Samarkand, Syrdarya, and Jizzakh regions revealed potential savings of 870 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 420 million cubic meters of gas. Simply replacing outdated equipment at small and medium-sized industrial enterprises in these regions could save 385 million kilowatt-hours of electricity and 50 million cubic meters of gas annually.
Furthermore, districts and mahallas have significant potential for energy savings. Constructing 300 small-scale solar power plants with a total capacity of 100 megawatts could save 45 million cubic meters of gas this year. Additionally, building over a thousand micro-hydropower plants on canals and streams could generate an extra 175 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. The meeting also highlighted the importance of energy-efficient street lighting, with the suggestion to install solar-powered street lamps to reduce consumption by half.
To achieve these goals, Uzbekistan plans to save an additional 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas and 2.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity this year. The Head of State emphasized the need to install modern, energy-efficient equipment and reduce energy losses, particularly in major industrial enterprises. The government has been tasked with establishing effective implementation and monitoring frameworks in this area.
Developing a culture of energy conservation is crucial, both in enterprises and in everyday life. This includes minimizing unnecessary electricity and gas consumption and actively adopting solar panels and other alternative energy sources to save resources. In light of the high population density in the Fergana Valley region, the meeting instructed the development of a specialized approach to ensure their energy supplies. This experience will then be expanded to other regions of the country in a phased manner.
UzA (Uzbekistan Agency) will continue to provide updates on the progress of these measures to enhance energy efficiency.