The gross potential of solar energy in Uzbekistan is estimated at 50973 million tons of oil equivalent, which is 99.7% of the total gross potential of all the renewable energy sources investigated so far in the republic, the technical potential is 176.8 million TOE (98.6% of the total technical potential of RES).
The most promising areas for the construction of solar power plants are BUKHARA, KASHKADARYA, SURKHANDARYA and the southern part of NAVOI regions.
In 2015, the commissioning ceremony of the first experimental solar photovoltaic station with a capacity of 130 kW took place in Pap district of NAMANGAN region of Uzbekistan.
The program for the construction of large solar power plants is being realised in Uzbekistan with the support of IFC. The total cost of the program is estimated at $ 1 billion. The first pilot project under the program will be the construction of a plant with a capacity of up to 100 MW, which will be located in Navoi region. Based on the experience of the project implementation, it is planned to hold negotiations with IFC on the conditions, capacity and terms of the implementation of the program at other sites with a total capacity of up to 900 MW.
The tender for the station in Navoi region is announced in February 2019. Execution of PPA and GSA is planned for July 2019.
In addition, the Government of Uzbekistan entered into agreements on a number of solar projects across the country with FDIs. One of them is the agreement with the Canadian company SkyPower Global on the construction of solar power plants in Uzbekistan with a total capacity of 1000 MW. The amount of investment is estimated at $ 1.3 billion. Solar power plants will be located in Navoi, Samarkand, Tashkent, Jizzakh, Surkhadarya and Kashkadarya regions. The economic effect of the project was estimated at $ 2.9 billion.