Uzbekistan will begin the first industrial-scale generation of green hydrogen in Central Asia at the end of May, with operations starting in Chirchiq. This milestone positions the country as a regional pioneer in advancing towards a low-carbon economy.
The project operates under a public-private partnership model. ACWA Power holds an 80% stake in the joint venture ACWA Power UKS Green H2 LLC, while the remaining 20% belongs to the state-owned company O’zkimyosanoat.
«This is a significant opportunity for us. Uzbekistan is the first in the region to launch such a project. It is a step into the future,» said John Zaidi, a representative of ACWA Power, at the Uzbekistan Energy Week – UEW 2025 forum.
Green hydrogen is a clean fuel produced using solar and wind energy. However, the technology remains costly, with production prices several times higher than the cost of a barrel of oil.
Despite the high cost, Uzbekistan will continue to support such initiatives, noted Deputy Minister of Energy Umid Mamadaminov.
«There was a time when solar energy seemed expensive. But technology evolves, and hydrogen will become more affordable,» he said.
ACWA Power believes that Uzbekistan’s green hydrogen project could become a model for the entire region and enable the country to access premium export markets in green energy.
Earlier, Kursiv Uzbekistan reported on the key challenges facing the country’s energy sector.
