Uzbekistan inaugurates country’s first utility-scale solar project ahead of PV rush

By Charlie Duffield
August 30, 2021
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, president of Uzbekistan, at the project’s inauguration ceremony. Image: Uzbekistan government.

Uzbekistan has inaugurated the country’s first utility-scale solar project, a 100MW site developed by Masdar.

The 100MW Nur Navoi solar project is one of a number of projects Masdar is developing in the region, with the company having won a number of tenders in recent months. In total, Masdar is developing nearly an additional 900MW of solar in the country, comprising 457MW of PV in Uzbekistan’s Sherabad district in Surkhandarya province and a further two projects, with a combined capacity of 440MW, in the Samarkand and Jizzakh regions.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Earlier this month, Uzbekistan’s minister for Energy, Alisher Sultanov, revealed plans to upgrade its existing renewable energy targets even higher than previously anticipated, with an increase in contributions from solar to 7GW.

“Uzbekistan has been working closely with the IFIs to open up the country’s power sector to private investment and to help us reach our goal of 25% of energy consumption deriving from renewable sources by 2030,” Sultanov said.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, added: “This is a historic occasion for Uzbekistan and a proud moment for all of us at Masdar as we take this vital step in Uzbekistan’s clean-energy journey. The Nur Navoi Solar Project will play a significant role in Uzbekistan’s energy transition and in achieving its climate change objectives.”

Read Next

April 2, 2026
French oil and gas major TotalEnergies has signed a US$2.2 billion joint venture (JV) with the Emirati state-run renewable energy developer Masdar to jointly develop renewables across Asia.
April 1, 2026
The world added 510GW of new solar PV capacity in 2025, the most of any electricity generation source, according to IRENA.
April 1, 2026
In its analysis, Ember examined grid capacity across 20 EU countries and found the major gap was at the transmission level, with a possible shortfall of 104 GW that would affect utility-scale solar projects.
Premium
March 27, 2026
PV Tech spoke with Maximo on the use of robotic solar installation solution at AES' Bellefield utility-scale project and upcoming trends in PV robotics.
March 26, 2026
Sonnedix has acquired a portfolio of six Italian solar PV projects from EOS Investment Management Group and Capital Dynamics.
March 25, 2026
EDP Renewables North America, Linea Energy and LRE have all advanced solar projects in the US Midwest this week.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
April 15, 2026
Milan, Italy
Solar Media Events
June 16, 2026
Napa, USA
Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland