Uzbekistan has tremendous potential in renewable energy, which is still largely untapped. The total potential for biogas production in Uzbekistan is estimated to exceed 8.9 bln cub m. In terms of its calorific value, this corresponds to 6.5 bln cubic meters of natural gas, which is about 10% of Uzbekistan’s annual demand for energy supplies.
On November 23, Uzbekistan's largest biogas plant was inaugurated in Bulakbashi district of Andijan region. At the opening ceremony were present the Permanent Representative of the United Nations Development Program, Stefan Prisner, the UN Resident Coordinator, Doniyorbek Maksudov, Bulakbashi district mayor, representatives of the regional administration, the regional Office of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, as well as farmers, activists and locals.
In his speech, Mr. Stefan Prisner expressed gratitude for warm reception and was particularly pleased to note that the creation of such a large biogas production unit will contribute to the region’s economic growth and promoting ecofriendly practices and will be an excellent example for further effective implementation of innovative practices..
The pilot biogas facility, built on the territory of LLC “Davron Agrosanoat” with the support of the Aid for Trade project together with the Ministry for Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, will facilitate the introduction of green practices in agriculture.
The project is beneficial not only from environment point of view but also financially. It is expected that use of new biogas plant will contribute to reduction of CO2 emission into atmosphere (estimated reduction of CO2 will be 330 tons per season). In addition, costs efficiency will be reached by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers. Organic fertilizers, obtained from the biogas facility, are expected to improve yields of fruits and vegetables by 4% per season, which will lead to an increase in eco-friendly high-quality agricultural products.
It should be noted that UNDP has, through its various projects, consistently supported Uzbekistan in advancing renewable energy. In particular, UNDP has assisted in developing a national standard for biogas plants, which was adopted in 2013. The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a program for promoting the construction of biogas plants in livestock and poultry farms in November 2015. This project aims to demonstrate biogas as a source of renewable energy and may be an alternative to traditional energy sources used in greenhouses in growing agricultural products and thus expand the export potential of the local agricultural producers.
