Electricity in Uzbekistan in 2022

As of 2022, Uzbekistan relies heavily on fossil fuels for its electricity consumption, with almost 90% of its electricity generated from fossil sources. Natural gas is the dominant fossil fuel, accounting for over 80% of the total electricity generation, while coal contributes a smaller share of nearly 3%. On the cleaner side of the spectrum, low-carbon energy sources, particularly hydropower, make up almost 6.4% of the electricity generation. Net imports account for an additional 4.6%. This indicates that Uzbekistan's electricity generation still significantly depends on fossil fuels, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Suggestions

Uzbekistan has great potential to increase its low-carbon electricity generation by diversifying and expanding its energy mix. Based on successful examples from other countries, nuclear energy and wind power present valuable opportunities for Uzbekistan. France and Slovakia, for example, generate the majority of their electricity from nuclear power, with 67% and 60% respectively. Ukraine and Armenia, which share some similarities with Uzbekistan, also rely heavily on nuclear energy, producing 55% and 30% respectively. In terms of wind energy, Denmark stands out with more than 60% of its electricity generated from wind, while Ireland, Uruguay, and the Netherlands also showcase significant contributions from wind power. Learning from these countries, Uzbekistan can consider developing nuclear energy infrastructure and investing in wind power projects to boost its low-carbon electricity generation and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.

History

Looking back at Uzbekistan's history of low-carbon electricity generation, mainly focused on hydropower, there have been notable fluctuations over the decades. In the late 1980s, hydroelectric generation saw significant changes with an increase of 2.2 TWh in 1987, followed by a decrease of 1.7 TWh in 1989. The 1990s witnessed both ups and downs in hydroelectric output, including a rise of 1.1 TWh in 1990 and a decline of 1 TWh in 1995. The early 2000s experienced notable variability, including a substantial drop of 3.5 TWh in 2000 but achieving an increase of 2.2 TWh in 2003. More recent years have continued this pattern, with increases like 2 TWh in 2009 and declines such as 2.5 TWh in 2011. This historical trend emphasizes the necessity for Uzbekistan to stabilize and expand its low-carbon power generation more consistently, especially by exploring alternative low-carbon sources like nuclear and wind.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources