The Ministry of Energy and the World Bank have introduced a new project "Clean Energy for Buildings in Uzbekistan," as reported by the WB press service. The project aims to enhance energy efficiency in public buildings and create an environment to attract private investments in clean energy in the building sector.
In Uzbekistan, the building sector accounts for 50% of the total energy consumption, followed by industry (22%) and transportation (20%). Within the public building sector, approximately 70% of energy is consumed in district hospitals, 84% in preschools, 88% in rural clinics, and 97% in schools for heating.
Most public buildings in Uzbekistan were constructed in the 1970s and 1980s without considering energy efficiency standards. They have poor insulation and do not meet temperature comfort standards. Outdated boilers and water heating systems with excessive energy consumption levels are used in these buildings.
A World Bank study in 2021 revealed that the annual energy savings potential through increased efficiency in the usage of energy in Uzbekistan's preschools, schools, and medical institutions amounts to over 7000 gigawatt-hours (GWh). Approximately 6810 GWh can be saved as heat and over 240 GWh as electricity.
In June 2022, the World Bank's Executive Directors approved a concessional loan of $143 million for the implementation of the "Clean Energy for Buildings in Uzbekistan" project. These funds aim to enhance the readiness of public buildings throughout Uzbekistan for changing climate conditions, reduce energy consumption, and lower greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.
The project is being carried out by the off-budget intersectoral energy efficiency fund under the Ministry of Energy. The fund was established in 2020 to attract investments and finance energy efficiency projects in various sectors of the economy, social sphere, and housing sector.
As part of the project, the fund will finance activities to enhance energy efficiency in the Ministry of Preschool and School Education and the Ministry of Health institutions operating in rural areas and cities across the country. It is planned that during the project implementation from 2023 to 2028, over 500 social facilities nationwide, including preschools, schools, hospitals, and clinics, will be modernized and renovated to improve their energy efficiency.
The fund will also provide services for assessing the energy efficiency of these buildings, developing measures, procuring and financing necessary works to enhance energy efficiency in the respective institutions, as well as measuring and verifying the energy saved by them.
The public buildings covered by the project will be modernized in accordance with national temperature comfort standards to avoid inadequate heating or overheating of premises. The project activities will reduce energy consumption, improve air quality, enhance the reliability of energy supply to these institutions, especially during winter months, and improve the provision of public services by enhancing temperature comfort for preschool and school students, patients in healthcare institutions, and their staff, as highlighted by the WB.
Measures to enhance energy efficiency in the aforementioned public buildings will include improving their insulation and the functioning of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and lighting systems. Additionally, coal boilers in the respective institutions will be replaced with heating and water heating systems operating on renewable energy sources. This will be achieved through the installation of solar panels integrated with heat pumps and solar collectors.
Moreover, as part of the project, an information and awareness campaign will be conducted among the population to increase citizens' knowledge on energy efficiency.
