Uzbekistan’s Gift to the World: A Solar-Powered Net Zero Vision

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan is not just another country to me — it is a place I carry in my heart with deep affection and gratitude. The hospitality I experienced in Tashkent was so genuine and generous that it left an unforgettable mark on my life, binding me to this nation in a way that feels almost personal. Though circumstances have kept me from returning in recent years, not a single day passes without my reading about Uzbekistan’s extraordinary journey of progress. Its clean environment, vibrant growth, and enduring traditions often replay in my mind like cherished memories on a screen I can never turn off. Each time, I ask myself how I can give back to a country that has given me so much warmth and inspiration. After 36 years of work in water, energy, and climate change across the world, I now feel it is time to offer my best knowledge and experience to the people of Uzbekistan. I hope to help preserve the nation’s precious natural resources, especially its natural gas reserves, while guiding a transition toward clean energy that will ensure prosperity for generations. For me, supporting Uzbekistan’s net zero by 2050 initiative is not only a professional duty but also a deeply personal commitment — a way of honoring the kindness I once received by contributing to the country’s brighter, sustainable future.

Now, Uzbekistan faces an opportunity unlike any in its modern history: to transform its energy system through rooftop solar and net metering, unlocking a pathway to both prosperity and sustainability. With over 270–300 sunny days per year and vast desert landscapes, the country has a natural advantage that few others enjoy. The technology is ready — modern solar panels now achieve efficiencies of over 26%. The policy groundwork has been laid through generous state incentives. What remains is the decisive step: scaling up distributed solar through a national net-metering initiative that allows households, farmers, and businesses to generate their own electricity, feed excess power into the grid, and receive credit for it.

This is not a luxury. It is a necessity. Uzbekistan has pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 — a bold but essential ambition for a landlocked, fossil-fuel-dependent economy. Currently, natural gas dominates electricity production, which not only drives emissions but also depletes a finite resource that could instead generate higher revenues through exports. Preserving this precious hydrocarbon reserve, while securing clean and affordable power at home, is central to the nation’s long-term prosperity.

The government has already signaled serious intent. Its Strategy for Transition to a Green Economy 2019–2030 commits to reducing the carbon intensity of GDP by 35% from 2010 levels by 2030. The updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement includes ambitious plans to expand renewable energy and increase climate resilience. Large-scale projects are advancing rapidly: Uzbekistan is targeting 7,600 MW of solar capacity by 2030 and several gigawatts of wind, with international partnerships led by investors from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and China.

But the most transformative story may not be the utility-scale farms. It may be the solar panels on rooftops across Uzbek cities and villages.

The government is already pushing in this direction. Citizens can now access interest-free installments and receive a 30% reimbursement for upfront costs when installing solar panels. Land and property covered by panels enjoy 10 years of tax exemption, while regulations set to take effect in 2025 will require all new multi-story buildings to install solar on at least 50% of their roof space. These are far-sighted incentives that lay the foundation for distributed generation.

What Uzbekistan needs next is a comprehensive net-metering policy. This would enable every household, farm, and small business to not only reduce its bills but also earn income from selling excess electricity back into the grid. Such systems are proven drivers of mass adoption. In India, net metering has fueled explosive growth in urban solar capacity. In Germany, household solar accounts for nearly half of installed capacity thanks to feed-in tariffs and net-metering frameworks. For Uzbekistan, the result could be a democratized energy transition — one where every citizen is a participant, not just a consumer. In Pakistan, the introduction of net metering transformed everyday life by making rooftop solar systems accessible to ordinary households

The climate rationale is overwhelming. According to the European Environment Agency, rail emits only 14–20 grams of CO₂ per tonne-km, compared to 60–120 grams for road freight. Electrifying transport is already reducing emissions: more than 60% of Uzbekistan’s railway network is electrified, the highest share in Central Asia. Expanding distributed solar would multiply these gains, displacing fossil generation with clean, locally produced energy.

The economic case is just as strong. Uzbekistan has recently committed to supplying 900 million kilowatt-hours of electricity to Kazakhstan in 2026. That volume equals the annual consumption of around 300,000 Kazakh households. Delivering such commitments sustainably requires reducing domestic gas burn and freeing up supply for exports. Widespread rooftop solar adoption would allow Uzbekistan to meet its export promises, conserve natural gas for higher-value uses, and avoid costly imports during peak demand.

The regional dimension cannot be ignored. At a trilateral meeting in Cholpon-Ata this year, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan finalised agreements to stabilise water and energy flows, coordinating releases from Kyrgyzstan’s Toktogul Reservoir in exchange for electricity supply (Kazakh Energy Ministry). Meanwhile, Uzbekistan reaffirmed its commitment to Afghanistan’s electricity modernization, helping build 220–500 kV transmission lines and pledging expertise in smart metering and grid management. This diplomacy shows that Uzbekistan’s leadership extends beyond borders: it is becoming the regional connector of clean energy, linking neighbors not just with power lines but with shared stability.

Still, vulnerabilities remain. Uzbekistan is highly exposed to climate change impacts, including more frequent heatwaves, droughts, and floods. These can disrupt hydropower generation, stress infrastructure, and disproportionately affect poor and rural populations. Investing in distributed solar is therefore also a resilience strategy — decentralizing production, reducing dependence on vulnerable resources, and ensuring communities can withstand climate shocks.

What makes Uzbekistan’s case exceptional is the alignment of natural potential, policy ambition, and global partnerships. But the final step requires mobilizing its people. By scaling up rooftop solar through net metering, the government can make every Uzbek household and farm a stakeholder in the energy transition. This would not only accelerate decarbonization but also reinforce the country’s proud tradition of hospitality and inclusiveness, extending the benefits of modernization to all.

With today’s rapid advances in solar cell efficiency, the falling costs of long-duration energy storage, and the clear commitment of Uzbekistan’s leadership, the country is in a far stronger position than when it first pledged net zero by 2050. What once seemed an ambitious long-term aspiration is now within closer reach. By combining rooftop net metering, large-scale renewables, and electrified transport, Uzbekistan can realistically bring forward its decarbonization timeline — not decades from now, but beginning today. If pursued with determination, this pathway will allow the nation to conserve its natural gas, secure energy independence, and export clean power to its neighbors and even Europe. More importantly, it will show the world that a landlocked country at the heart of Central Asia can transform itself into a solar-powered bridge of prosperity, achieving net zero faster than anyone thought possible.
 

By Engineer Arshad H Abbasi
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of UzDaily.