Uzbekistan expands free solar panel program for low-income households

11:052513 min

Nearly 1,200 low-income families in Uzbekistan will receive solar panels free of charge as part of the final stage of the Yorqin Xonadon social project, which has a total budget of $20 million.

Photo: Kun.uz

Uzbekistan expands free solar panel program for low-income households — Photo: Kun.uz

The new phase will provide solar systems to 1,197 families in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Samarkand region and Bukhara region. About 65% of the installations will be carried out in Karakalpakstan, while recipient lists are being prepared jointly with regional administrations based on the Iron Notebook register, the Ministry of Energy said.

The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Energy together with ACWA Power and China Southern Power Grid International (CSGI).

Energy Minister Sherzod Khodjayev said the initiative combines social support for vulnerable households with the expansion of renewable energy. Installing solar panels will help families and social facilities reduce their electricity costs, he said.

So far, 1,580 families and 334 social facilities have received solar systems under Yorqin Xonadon. The facilities include schools, preschools and rural medical centers.

The project has previously covered five parts of the country – Syrdarya, Bukhara, Tashkent and Navoi regions, as well as the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Once the final phase is completed, the total number of beneficiaries is expected to exceed 3,100.

Jon Zaidi, country head of ACWA Power in Uzbekistan, said the initiative uses solar solutions designed to reduce electricity costs while also allowing households to earn additional income by selling surplus electricity to the grid.

The project is being implemented with CSGI and involves supplying solar systems to families and social facilities considered most in need, Zaidi said.

The initiative is aligned with a presidential decree on additional measures to introduce energy-efficient technologies and develop small-scale renewable energy sources.

ACWA Power has operated in Uzbekistan since 2019. According to the Ministry of Energy, the company is implementing 19 projects in the country with a combined capacity of 13.9 GW and total investment of $16.5 billion.

Its projects in Uzbekistan cover wind and solar power, energy storage systems, conventional power generation and green hydrogen production.