Masdar has entered into a Battery Storage Service Agreement with JSC Uzenergosotish to develop the Zarafshan Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which is Uzbekistan's first standalone storage project, as reported by Trend.

Source: Trend

Masdar announced this agreement at ADIPEC, marking the initial phase of a national BESS program. This follows Masdar's December 2023 agreement with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade to deploy up to 575MW / 1.15GWh of storage capacity throughout the country.

Phase 1 of the Zarafshan BESS will provide 300MW / 600MWh, sufficient to power approximately 1.3 million households for two hours, and will connect to the Murunau Substation. A subsequent phase of 300MW / 600MWh is planned to further enhance the facility.

The project is anticipated to be operational by Q3 2028, contributing to grid reliability, supporting Uzbekistan’s aim to generate 54% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, and advancing the nation’s net-zero ambitions.

Masdar's CEO, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, underscored the company's expertise in large-scale renewable and storage projects. Meanwhile, JSC Uzenergosotish Chairman Jahongir Obidjonov emphasized the initiative's role in Uzbekistan’s green energy transition. UAE Minister of Energy Suhail Al Mazrouei and Uzbekistan’s Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov noted the strategic significance of the project within the context of robust bilateral relations. The Zarafshan BESS will complement Masdar’s current 2GW clean energy portfolio in Uzbekistan, with plans to develop an additional 2GW, further supporting the country's goal of achieving 20GW of renewable energy by 2030.