The resolution of the President "On measures to further develop alternative energy sources" identifies such a huge potential of Uzbekistan, in particular, specific ways to further expand the use of solar energy.

In fact, unlike oil, gas and coal reserves, this potential is not exhausted in practice. It should also be borne in mind that the use of solar, water, wind and other alternative energy sources does not emit harmful emissions into the atmosphere, i.e. does not harm the environment. It is also important to use the rich experience gained in the country, which has been conducting scientific and experimental research in the field of alternative energy sources for more than a decade.

In this regard, it can be said, for example, that dozens of solar energy conversion devices are already operating in different parts of the country, with the help of which individual facilities are provided with stable electricity and heat. But today, perhaps in the near future, it is too early to say that alternative energy sources will be used on the same scale as conventional energy, only because the electricity generated using solar devices is much higher. Heat is more expensive than that obtained in power plants.

However, given that only declining oil, gas and coal reserves are expected, work on the use of alternative energy sources needs to be accelerated. For example, there are a number of remote and inaccessible settlements in the country, where it is practically impossible to lay power lines to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the population. And here, despite the cost, the use of alternative energy sources is more cost-effective.

With the support of PROON, the Global Environment Facility's Small Grants Program in Uzbekistan (PMGEF) has gained some experience in organizing and financing projects in this area in some parts of Uzbekistan.

For example, the development of microhydroenergetics can be significantly effective. Practice shows that in different regions of the country, whether mountain rivers, plain rivers and canals, there are many natural streams, which create the necessary conditions and provide the necessary equipment. can be installed and used to convert water energy into electricity. nearby settlements.

This means that in the Uzun district of Surkhandarya region, there is the village of Chosh, located between the mountains at an altitude of about two thousand meters, with a population of about a thousand people. And all would be well, but until recently it came to the village only with power outages, and in the winter avalanches often completely destroyed power lines.

To solve the problems with the power supply, local fans chose the most optimal of several options and developed their own project - the construction of a micro hydroelectric power plant on the river Tupole, which flows through the river and does not freeze even in winter. We also chose the technology to generate electricity from the height of the water on the wheels. They sent us the project along with the application. After the project was approved, the GEF Small Grants Program purchased all the necessary equipment and all the work on its installation and commissioning was done by the residents themselves.

Now, water flowing from a height of 3.5 meters through a hydroelectric generator can generate 12-15 kW / h of electricity. That’s enough for more than light. A stable local mill has also been set up so that villagers can grind their own wheat for flour without having to travel a hundred kilometers to the provincial center along a difficult mountain road if necessary. The mill service can also be used by five other nearby villagers. In addition to providing convenience to the population, the operation of this micro HPP is also an important factor in preventing the release of more than 32 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions into the atmosphere.

The development of micro-hydropower as one of the solutions to the problem of reliable electricity supply to rural areas is becoming one of the priorities of PMGEF in Uzbekistan.

Currently, one of the projects is being implemented in the village of Oqmachit, Fergana region, Uzbekistan.

Entrepreneur Rahmatullo Shodiev lives in the village and intends to develop his business and help his fellow villagers.

In 2002, he built a cotton picking shop and employed 15 locals, and in 2010 the entrepreneur set up a rice picking shop and employed 10 more people. Rahmatullah has an idea to set up a sewing workshop that could employ dozens of other women. A mmo business development is limited by the problem of power outages. To solve it, Shodiev came up with an initiative to build and test a micro-hydroelectric power plant near the village with a capacity of 25 kW, which should be sufficient to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the equipment.

However, one of the criteria for assistance provided by PMGEF is the condition that the benefits of the project be distributed among community members, i.e. the rural population. In addition, commercial organizations cannot be project applicants. How to be? In this case, a solution was found. The fact is that Rahmatullah now takes care of and helps his mother village as much as he can. The creation of a micro-hydropower plant, in his opinion, should only provide the production capacity with sustainable electricity. Thus, it was agreed that half of the energy from the installed micro-hydropower plants will be used for the needs of local clinics and schools suffering from power outages. An agreement on the distribution of pensions was developed and signed between the citizens' assembly and the entrepreneur. At the same time, the neighborhood citizens' assembly applied to PMGEF on behalf of the villagers to help build a micro-hydropower plant.

The implementation of the project is beneficial for all villagers. First, a stable supply of electricity will improve the situation in the local hospital, all the equipment will work continuously, which will allow the population to receive quality medical care at any time. Second, schools and kindergartens are supplied with electricity, which also improves their normal working conditions. Third, small businesses will flourish in rural areas, jobs will be created, and the living standards and incomes of the local population will increase accordingly.

Another example. Rustam Toshmatov is making great efforts to build a 200 kW power plant in Andijan region that will provide uninterrupted power to an entire village. He is doing this in the village of Zavrak in the Andijan region.

I must say that his idea was supported by the local authorities. Rustam aka personally created turbines in the workshops of Andijan industrial enterprises. Then they built an 8-meter-high drainage canal. Then we set up the equipment and launched it in test mode. Given that the power of the turbine is 200 kW and the generator is only 63 kW, it was decided to supply a more powerful generator. New equipment was found and installed. We tried it. We worked all winter. We achieved good results. Rustam Toshmatov and his colleagues will continue to work on implementing their ideas. He needs help with that, and we agreed to work together.

This material is published on the website of the newspaper "Narodnoe slovo": http://narodnoeslovo.uz/index.php/policy/by-line-decree/4168-politika