The Green Energy Corridor Project is a truly historic initiative for the region, Umid Mamadaminov, deputy minister of energy of Uzbekistan, said at the 11th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting and 3rd Green Energy Advisory Council Ministerial Meeting, Report informs.
"Why is this project so important? Because in recent years, wind and solar energy have been developing at unprecedented rates throughout Central Asia. A few years ago, Uzbekistan had only 200 megawatts of installed solar capacity. Today, our combined wind and solar energy capacity exceeds 4,000 megawatts. And by next year, it is expected to exceed 7,000 megawatts — in Uzbekistan alone," said Mamadaminov.
He noted that if Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and other Central Asian countries are added to this equation, the regional growth becomes even more impressive.
"By 2030, we expect the total capacity of renewable energy sources in the region to exceed 30 gigawatts," he said.
But with such rapid growth in generation, domestic electricity consumption in some regions is expected to decrease by 2-4% annually.
"This means that soon we will have an excess of green electricity," the deputy minister believes.
That is why the Green Energy Corridor project is crucial. It will provide the infrastructure necessary to export surplus renewable electricity to Europe, turning a problem into an opportunity, he noted.
"This project is not just about energy, it opens doors for private sector participation, international trade, and investments in cross-border energy infrastructure. It is a catalyst for economic cooperation and regional development," Mamadaminov stated.