BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 24. Japan’s Sumitomo
Corporation expects two solar power and battery energy storage
projects in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand region to begin commercial
operations in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Sumitomo Corporation told Trend in
an exclusive interview that the two projects are currently under
construction and will each have a solar generation capacity of 500
megawatts (MW) and a battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity
of 668 megawatt-hours (MWh).
Battery systems to support grid stability
The planned battery storage facilities are expected to help
balance electricity supply and demand, improve grid stability and
facilitate the integration of additional renewable energy into
Uzbekistan’s national grid.
"The BESS facilities are expected to help balance electricity
supply and demand and enhance grid stability by charging and
discharging in response to fluctuations in power generation and
demand, as well as grid frequency," the company said.
"They are also expected to facilitate the further integration of
renewable energy in Uzbekistan and contribute to the stability and
reliability of the country’s electricity supply," Sumitomo
added.
Further projects and industrial cooperation
Uzbekistan and Japanese companies Sumitomo Corporation and
Shikoku Electric Power reviewed the progress of renewable energy
and energy storage projects and discussed further cooperation in
power infrastructure during a meeting in Tashkent on October
13.
The meeting brought together Uzbek Minister of Investment,
Industry and Trade Laziz Kudratov, Sumitomo Corporation President
and CEO Shingo Ueno, and Shikoku Electric Power President Yoshihiro
Miyamoto, according to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investment,
Industry and Trade.
The discussions covered solar power plants and energy storage
systems in Samarkand, as well as proposed wind power plants and
energy storage facilities in the Kungrad district of
Karakalpakstan.
However, Sumitomo said it had no information to disclose at this
time regarding the parameters or implementation milestones of the
proposed Kungrad projects.
Moreover, the parties explored potential cooperation in
producing steel cables for power transmission lines, supplying
ambulances, modernizing electricity networks and applying Japanese
experience in managing free economic zones.
Sumitomo Corporation is a diversified trading and investment
company operating in sectors including metals, natural resources,
energy, infrastructure, transportation, automotive, media and
digital technologies. The company has 125 offices across 63
countries and regions.
Shikoku Electric Power operates in the energy sector and also
provides telecommunications services, IT solutions, and engineering
and construction services, with projects in more than 10 countries
worldwide.
