Ferghana region to construct $65 million biomass processing plant

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — A cogeneration complex designed to generate electricity and thermal energy by processing agricultural biomass is scheduled for construction in the Ferghana region.

The investment project was discussed during a meeting between the First Deputy Khokim of the Ferghana Region, Mirzokhid Ubaidullaev, and the head of the Korea Institute of Climate Change, Young Won Shin, according to the regional administration's press office.

During the negotiations, the parties highlighted the substantial economic and ecological prospects of utilizing agricultural residues for sustainable energy production. The facility's technical model will center on recycling local biomass materials, specifically cotton and wheat stalks.

According to materials presented during the briefing, the project will be executed in partnership with the South Korean corporation Hyundai Power Systems. The industrial complex is slated to be located on a 5-hectare plot within the "Kokand" Free Economic Zone (SEZ), situated in the Furkat district.

Construction of the facility is scheduled to span from 2026 to 2028. The preliminary capital expenditure required for the project is estimated at US$65 million.

Once fully operational, the plant will have an installed capacity to generate up to 10 MW of electricity per hour, translating into approximately 70 million kWh of electric power annually. According to analytical estimates, this output volume will be sufficient to cover the energy needs of roughly 58,000 local households.

Additionally, the enterprise will co-generate 20 Gcal of thermal energy per hour, amounting to nearly 146,000 Gcal annually. This thermal supply will provide central heating to around 24,000 residential homes.

The launch of the clean energy facility is expected to create approximately 500 new local jobs within the region.