Uzbekistan inaugurates new solar energy institute

Uzbek President Islam Karimov March 1 signed a decree authorising construction of an international solar energy institute, a factory for solar photovoltaic panels, and a solar photovoltaic plant.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supposed to help fund creation of the institute, which Karimov ordered built in Tashkent on the grounds of the Academy of Sciences’ existing Physics-Sun division.

The institute is supposed to pursue high-tech research on industrial use of solar energy and other topics.

The same decree ordered construction of a factory producing 100MW photo-electric panels in the Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone in Navoi Oblast. The factory is supposed to produce its first panels in October and to reach full production in 2015.

Karimov also approved construction of a 100MW solar photo-electric station in Samarkand Oblast, with help from a favourable ADB loan.

http://www2.adb.org/Documents/TARs/UZB/45120-001-uzb-tar.pdf