Central Asia has significant potential for the development of renewable energy and could become one of the world's leading regions for clean energy and investments.
According to Trend, this was stated by Uzbekistan's Minister of Energy Jurabek Mirzamahmudov during the ministerial dialogue on promoting energy transition based on renewable energy sources in Central Asia, held as part of the Baku Energy Week.
He noted that the global energy sector is facing new challenges related to the rapid growth in electricity demand driven by the development of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and large data centers.
In many countries, the growth rate of demand for new generation capacities exceeds the rate of their commissioning.
Mirzamahmudov stated that Central Asia has significant renewable energy resources, including hydropower potential, as well as a favorable geographical position connecting major energy markets.
According to him, the combination of these factors, along with strengthening regional cooperation, could help turn the region into a center for green energy development.
The minister said that Uzbekistan is actively preparing for the new energy reality. He noted that under the reforms led by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, over $35 billion in investments have been attracted to the country's energy sector, more than 16 GW of new generation capacity have been commissioned, and annual electricity production has increased from 60 to 85 billion kWh.
"By 2030, Uzbekistan plans to increase its renewable energy capacity to 20 GW and raise its share in electricity generation to 54%," he said.
The minister also emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in the energy transition.
In this context, he highlighted the APRECA initiative, proposed by the International Renewable Energy Agency during COP29 in Baku, as a platform for strengthening regional cooperation and attracting investments.
According to him, Uzbekistan supports this initiative and participates in its implementation.
Mirzamahmudov added that Uzbekistan's cooperation with Azerbaijan is also developing in the areas of renewable energy, regional connectivity, and the implementation of the "green energy corridor" project aimed at exporting clean electricity from Central Asia to Europe.
