According to the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of Uzbekistan, Uzbekenrgo state joint company is working on organization of capacities production of solar panels.

The project cost is US$10 million. It is expected that the plant on production of solar panels will be placed at the Free Industrial and Economic Zone Navoi.

Uzbekistan has great potential for development of alternative energy. Uzbekistan has more than 300 sunny days, which can be used effectively.

According to some calculations, opportunity of renewable energy in Uzbekistan can be equal to 51 billion tonnes of oil. Current technologies will allow Uzbekistan to produce energy equal to 179 million tonnes, which exceeds the volume of produced energy in Uzbekistan three times and allows to cut emission of 447 million tonnes of carbonic acid gases, various sulphureous compounds, nitric oxide, etc.

Uzbekistan is planning to install a series of photovoltaic power plants totaling 2 GW over the next several years. The majority of funds for the project will be allocated from the company’s own sources, as well as the Asian Development Bank.

The first plant is expected to be built in the Tashkent region and will have a capacity of 50 MW. Around $250 million is expected to be invested in the project. Construction of the other photovoltaic plants, meanwhile, will be commenced later.

Foreign investors have also expressed an interest in installing photovoltaic plants in Uzbekistan, including Norway's REC, India-based BHEL and Russia's Lukoil. Reportedly, the capacity of each plant is expected to be 100 MW.