Tashkent, Uzbekistan, May 21, 2024 — The World Bank Group,Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar), and the Government of Uzbekistan have signed a financial package to fund a 250-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic plant with a 63-MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The project aims to e Contact online >>
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, May 21, 2024 — The World Bank Group,Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC (Masdar), and the Government of Uzbekistan have signed a financial package to fund a 250-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic plant with a 63-MW battery energy storage system (BESS). The project aims to expand clean and reliable electricity access to approximately 75,000 households.
The project marks Central Asia''s first renewable energy initiative with an integrated BESS component. Introducing the innovative BESS component will improve the efficiency and flexibility of the power system, providing greater security of supply and helping to mitigate the intermittency of renewable generation.
The financing package includes up to $53 million loan from IFC and loans for up to $106 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The financing will support the construction and operation of the new plant. IFC will also provide interest rate swaps for the entire debt amount, allowing the project to effectively manage interest rate risks.
The World Bank is providing a guarantee of up to $12 million to support the government''s payment obligations under the project. The investment package also includes blended finance support in the form of concessional senior loans of $20 million each from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Program and ADB-managed Leading Asia''s Private Sector Infrastructure Fund (LEAP).
The solar power plant, which will be constructed in the Alat district of the Bukhara region, is projected to cut over 327,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually by generating more than 585 gigawatt hours of renewable energy per year.
As the lead transaction advisor, IFC worked with the government to structure a transparent and competitive tender. The government announced in December 2022 that Masdar, the United Arab Emirates'' flagship renewable energy company, was the winning bidder for the PPP tender.
To address the increasing demand for energy in Uzbekistan''s economy and among its citizens, the government aims to scale up renewable energy generation by up to 25 GW, or 40 percent of the country''s overall electricity consumption, by 2030. These efforts support the country''s clean energy transition and decarbonization, as well as its economic growth. In this context, the World Bank Group is helping Uzbekistan develop 2,000 MW of solar and 500 MW of wind energy by attracting private sector investments.
"This project will enhance Uzbekistan''s energy security through the use of innovative solutions and technologies," noted Marco Mantovanelli, World Bank Country Manager for Uzbekistan. "In addition to attracting private sector participation, the World Bank guarantee has also contributed to ensuring an affordable supply of renewable energy for households and businesses in the country."
The solar power plant project will be implemented through a project company Nur Bukhara Solar PV LLC FE owned by Masdar, which is responsible for developing, financing, building, owning, operating, and maintaining the solar plant and BESS. The project company is committed to selling electricity to the state-owned National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan JSC under a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement for the project, including a 10-year operating term for the BESS component, signed by these two entities.
The World Bank and IFC have been providing guarantees, financing, advisory, and technical assistance support to the government for launching several plants, including a 100MW solar power plant in the Navoi region (operational since 2021), 440MW solar power plants in Samarkand and Jizzakh regions (under construction), and the first 500-MW wind power plant in the Navoi region (under construction). With the new project to be implemented in Bukhara region, the renewable energy generation capacity supported by the World Bank Group''s operations will increase to about 1.3 gigawatts.
Over the past ten years, IFC has invested in 16.9 GW of renewable energy capacity in emerging markets to speed up the clean energy transition and enhance access to electricity. During this period, IFC has invested $12 billion from its own account and mobilized an additional $20 billion for energy projects in emerging markets. IFC supports the expansion of proven clean energy solutions and the deployment of more nascent transformative technologies such as offshore wind, battery storage, distributed generation, off-grid solar, and green hydrogen.
The Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Program aims to mobilize private capital for global climate action and reflects Canada''s commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement to support developing countries in their transition to sustainable and resilient low-carbon economies. For more information on Canada''s investment in global climate change action, visit Canada''s climate finance for developing countries (international.gc.ca).
We express our profound gratitude to the wise leadership of Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan for their unwavering support and guidance in driving Uzbekistan''s ambitious renewable energy goals. ACWA Power''s expertise in green hydrogen, green ammonia, and clean energy has greatly strengthened our collaboration with the Government of Uzbekistan. Our latest venture into Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) is a significant step forward in our partnership and a clear demonstration of our commitment to transform the energy landscape in the Republic.
Saudi-listed ACWA Power, the world''s largest private water desalination company and a leader in energy transition and green hydrogen, has announced the completion of the dry financial close for the USD 533 million Tashkent Riverside project in Uzbekistan. This project includes a 200MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and the largest battery energy storage system (BESS) in Central Asia, aimed at stabilizing the Uzbek grid.
The financing documents were signed with six lenders, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), DEG, Proparco, Standard Chartered, and KfW-IPEX Bank. Total debt from the signings stands at USD 386 million, making up more than two-thirds of the project''s total cost.
Nandita Parshad, Managing Director, Sustainable Infrastructure Group at EBRD, said, "We are proud to partner with ACWA Power and co-financiers on the pioneering Tashkent Solar PV and energy storage project in Uzbekistan, the largest of its kind in Central Asia. The project is core to Uzbekistan’s ambition to install 25GW of renewables by 2030. This project can power 170,000 households and the battery storage capacity is equivalent to 8000 electric vehicles."
The project will play an instrumental role in achieving Uzbekistan''s ambitious targets to transition to a low-carbon economy as well as diversify its energy sources. By 2030, Uzbekistan is aiming to generate 40% of its electricity from renewables.
The BESS will help to mitigate the effects of intermittency that are inherent in renewable energy sources, storing excess electricity generated during times of high production and making it available during periods of low production. This will ensure a constant and reliable supply of electricity to the grid, ultimately helping to meet the growing demand for energy in Uzbekistan.
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