From January 1, 2025, Uzbekistan will adopt a ban on the import of solar panels, inverters and energy storage systems from companies not added to the global BNEF Tier-1 list. This is provided for by the September 11 presidential decree, which was not disclosed for the public.

The BNEF Tier-1 list must be regularly published on the official websites of the Ministry of Energy and the Customs Committee and updated once a month.

Although the document was adopted in September, the Ministry of Energy has not yet reported on the planned restrictions. Gazeta.uz sent inquiries to the Ministry of Energy and the Customs Committee.

Local manufacturers

There are a number of enterprises in Uzbekistan that manufacture solar panels. Since 2021, Great Start Bild has been manufacturing solar modules under the A.R.T. SOLAR brand in Tashkent and positions itself as the first largest manufacturer of solar panels in the country. The plant's capacity is 100 MW. The founders of the company are Albert and Kuman Avsepyan (27.9% and 72.1%).

In October, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Enter Green Solar enterprise in Tinchlik small industrial zone in the Yangiyul district of the Tashkent province, where solar panels and various cables needed for solar energy are manufactured. The enterprise, with a total cost of $7 million and a capacity of 200 MW, is equipped with equipment from the Italian Ecoprogetti. It manufactures 377 thousand solar panels per year. The founders of the enterprise are Enter Steel (60%), Said Amir Bakhtiyorovich Fazylov (20%, patronymic and surname coincide with the entrepreneur Bakhtiyor Fazylov, associated with the companies Enter Engineering, Eriell, Enera holding and many others), Zhasur Khudoykulovich Zhumayev (10%) and Alexander Vasilyevich Bolshakov (10%), who works at Eriell.

In June, the Nukus Eleсtroapparat, a joint venture in Karakalpakstan launched a $10 million solar panels production unit project. The equipment was delivered and installed from the Korea Republic. The unit’s annual capacity is 273 thousand units. In August, Shavkat Mirziyoyev also visited the plant. The founders of the joint venture are the Swiss Tanotrade Ag (80%) and the local Toshelectroapparat (20%), which is engaged in the production of electrical equipment 0.4-220 kV, photovoltaic stations, LED lighting, power transformers, disconnectors and SF6 and vacuum circuit breakers up to 220 kV. The latter company also owns a share in the Chirchik Transformer Plant and Sport Line. Toshelectroapparat itself is owned by Tanotrade Ag (75%) and another Swiss company Comagra Commerz & Agrar-Handel AG (25%).

In addition to manufacturers, many suppliers of solar panels from global manufacturers are represented in Uzbekistan.

From October 1, 2022, individuals can purchase domestically manufactured solar panels and water heaters in interest-free installments for a period of 3 years through the online platform of the off-budget Intersectoral Energy Saving Fund of the Ministry of Energy (www.energymarket.uz).