Uzbekistan’s government has expanded direct payments to households generating solar power, disbursing more than UZS 153 billion ($12.8 million) under its Solar Home program to encourage wider small-scale adoption and grid exports.
The voluntary initiative, active since April 2023, pays UZS 1,000/kWh for excess electricity supplied to the grid. The number of participants has more than tripled from 10,826 in 2024, signaling accelerating residential uptake.
The northwest region of Khorazm received the largest subsidy allocation this year at UZS 42.6 billion, followed by the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan at UZS 22.4 billion.
Uzbekistan’s installed solar capacity reached 2,275 MW at the end of 2024, up from 475 MW a year earlier, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The government targets 25 GW of combined solar and wind capacity by 2030.
In October, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced a $142 million financing package for a 1 GW solar project paired with 1.3 GWh of battery storage in Uzbekistan.
