Abu Dhabi’s Masdar breaks ground on Uzbekistan’s first wind farm – MEP MiddleEast

Abu Dhabi’s Masdar breaks ground on Uzbekistan’s first wind farm – MEP MiddleEast

UAE-based renewable energy developer, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), has signed an implementation agreement with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to extend the capacity of its utility-scale wind farm project – the first such project in Uzbekistan – to up to 1.5 gigawatts (GW). 

Masdar entered into bilateral agreements with the Government of Uzbekistan  last year to develop, build, and operate the 500-megawatt (MW) wind farm project, its second utility-scale clean energy project in the country, and the largest wind farm in Central Asia. The project aims to attract foreign direct investment of more than $600mn.

Extending the capacity of the project, located in the Zarafshan district of the Navoi region, to as much as 1.5GW will further help Uzbekistan achieve its objectives of adding up to 3GW of wind energy and meeting 25% of its electricity needs from renewable sources by the end of the decade.

The 500MW Zarafshan wind farm is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2024. At a capacity of 500 MW, the project would provide enough electricity to power 500,000 homes, while displacing 1.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

Masdar signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) and Investment Agreement for the