The GEF Small Grants Programme

in Uzbekistan

Photovoltaic plants for small business - office and shop

One of the most common problems faced by businesses in Uzbekistan is a short-term power outage. A short-term power outage is an interruption in the supply of electricity or a rolling blackout for 2-8 hours. Such interruptions in the power supply interfere with the normal operation of the business, violate the established mode of operation of enterprises and organizations, make it difficult and interfere with the normal mode of operation and the receipt of the planned profit. In fact, the lack of energy prevents businesses from producing goods and services for the population of the republic, selling goods, making electronic payments and otherwise earning money for a business that is an employer for the population, a source of income for the population, and prevents economic growth in the country.

Small business, which employs a large number of the population, reacts especially sharply to such a problem and suffers the most. Small business is often the basis of family well-being

In 2014, over 20,000 new small businesses were created, excluding farms and dekhkan farms, and their total number was over 195,000. The share of small business and private entrepreneurship in the formation of GDP has increased since 2000 from 31 percent to 56 percent, and in industrial production - from 12.9 to 31.1 percent. In 2014, more than 480,000 new jobs, or every second, were created in the field of small business and private entrepreneurship. Currently, more than 76.5 percent of the total employed population is employed in this sector of the economy.

Therefore, the solution of the energy problem is one of the tools to improve the economic well-being in the country and is especially important for small businesses.

In fact, the project offers a solution to the problem for the following 2 types of small businesses:

- Offices (ICC, photo salon, PAYNET);

-Shop;

The energy consumption of these types of businesses is usually between 0.3 and 1 kWh. Such electricity consumption can be solved with the help of solar photovoltaic stations (PVP) as backup power during a power outage.

The solar PV system is a turnkey solution that is an alternative source of energy and can be used in conjunction with the city's power supply network. This system guarantees the absence of exhaust gases, noiselessness, it can be installed in almost any room, the system is connected automatically and requires minimal maintenance. Such a system is ideal for partial or full power supply during the daytime, and will ensure the reliable operation of appliances, office equipment, communications, the Internet and other small business electrical appliances.

Currently, PV systems are not widely used among small businesses in Uzbekistan, due to the fact that everyone thinks that this is an expensive solution compared to government electricity tariffs. But none of the businessmen considers how much lost profit is lost due to the lack of state centralized energy supply. If we consider the payback of the FES at current state prices for electricity, depending on the number of sunny days, the payback of the station is 6-10 years. With such a payback period, the percentage of distribution and interest in this technology is very low. But it must be taken into account that the payback of the technology is much higher and faster due to the constant availability of energy, which will help eliminate lost profits arising from constant power outages.

The availability of electricity will help small businesses to have a more stable income generating opportunity, which means it will help increase the competitiveness of the business, provide employment and income generation opportunities to the local population. In addition, taking into account that the lifetime of a solar station is at least 25 years, and electricity prices are growing by 20%-40% annually, it can be assumed that the payback period of the stations will be lower than the above, and it is also possible to save energy received for by burning hydrocarbons, up to 70%.

Therefore, it is simply necessary to show small business owners in economic units how much higher and faster the payback of such stations, given the possibility of obtaining additional profit from their presence in the business. The better and more small business owners understand the economic benefits of using PV, the faster and wider the technology of obtaining electricity from the sun will spread. This is the logic of the project.

Based on the above,

The aim of the project is to disseminate PV technology among small businesses in Uzbekistan by demonstrating the economic viability of solving the problem of short-term power outages with the help of solar PV.

- Review the project proposal.

- get acquainted with the budget of the project