Saudi Arabia-based energy company ACWA Power has signed power purchase and investment agreements with  National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan, and the Ministry of Investment, Industry, and Trade to develop new solar and battery storage projects in Uzbekistan.

The partnership will work towards developing three solar photovoltaic (PV) projects in Tashkent and Samarkand, and three battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarkand.

While the total capacity of PV projects is be 1.4 GW, the capacity of the BESS projects would be 1.5 GWh. The Tashkent projects will comprise a 400 MW solar PV plant and 500 MWh BESS.

Two 500 MW photovoltaic projects each and a 500 MWh battery storage system will be developed in Samarkand.

ACWA said another 500 MWh battery storage system will be in Bukhara, and the project will include overhead transmission lines to help dispatch power to the power grid.

The BESS will help store excess electricity generated during times of high production and make it available during periods of low production. It will also ensure the supply of constant and reliable power to the grid, ultimately catering to Uzbekistan’s rising demand for energy.

The Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara PV and BESS projects will contribute to $2.5 billion of new investments as part of the targeted $10 billion commitment signed between ACWA Power and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy for investments in green projects, in the next five years.

ACWA Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said, “As the driver of the largest BESS projects in the region, we are fully equipped to stabilize the grid and accelerate Uzbekistan’s renewable energy agenda. With our total investment commitments of US $7.5 billion in energy projects, we are determined to remain a key partner in achieving Uzbekistan’s energy diversification goals. ACWA Power is proud to be at the forefront of driving sustainable growth and powering a brighter future for Uzbekistan. Our expertise in green hydrogen, green ammonia, and clean energy has greatly strengthened our collaboration with the Government of Uzbekistan.”

Uzbekistan targets generating 35% of power from renewable sources by 2030, equating to 15 GW with a share of 10 GW of solar power and 5 GW of wind power. Achieving this target will help the country offset 16 million tons of CO2 emissions annually.

Last December, ACWA Power announced it will invest $2.4 billion to develop wind projects of 1.5 GW capacity in Uzbekistan, for which the company also signed power purchase agreements with the country’s government.

In June last year, a consortium led by ACWA Power signed an agreement to develop a 1.1 GW onshore wind project in Egypt’s Gulf of Suez Gabal el Zeit area with an estimated investment of $1.5 billion.