Saudi Arabian developer Acwa Power and the government of Uzbekistan signed power purchase agreements for two wind power plants in the country's Bukhara and Navoi regions, as the Central Asian state looks to add more renewable capacity.
Acwa Power will deliver a total of 2.5 Gigawatts of power into Uzbekistan's grid upon the completion of three power projects that are valued at $2.5 billion.
A power purchase agreement refers to a contract where a producer sells electricity generated to a consumer, which is typically a utility or a country.
Acwa Power's chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said it was playing "a vital role in supporting Uzbekistan's decarbonisation efforts and energy transformation".
The former Soviet state has a growing demand for electricity, which is expected to reach 110 billion kiloWatt hours by 2030.
Acwa Power also broke ground on a 1.5GW combined cycle gas turbine plant in Sirdarya, Uzbekistan.
The new CCGT power plant will meet 15 per cent of electricity requirements in Uzbekistan and will be equivalent to 8 per cent of power capacity when completed.
The Sirdarya project is estimated to be worth $1.2bn with an efficiency rate of 60 per cent, which the company said would save nearly twice the natural gas currently being consumed in other power plants across the country.
The two wind power plants with a total capacity of 1GW are worth $1.3bn and are expected to offset 1.6 million tonnes of emissions per year.
"The projects will contribute one third of Uzbekistan’s 3 GW wind energy targets, supplying 2.7 million households and supports the government’s aims to have 30 per cent of its power capacity from renewable sources by 2030," Acwa Power said.
Renewable developers from the Gulf are playing an increasingly larger role in helping Uzbekistan meet its clean energy targets.
Masdar, a renewable power company from Abu Dhabi, reached financial close last month on a 100MW solar photovoltaic plant in Uzbekistan – the country's first independent power producer.
The company plans to bid on three projects in the country, with a collective capacity of one gigawatt, Masdar clean energy director Yousif Al Ali told The National in an interview earlier this month.
Masdar also previously worked on a 500MW utility-scale wind project in the country. It also plans to help Uzbekistan chart green recovery strategies post-pandemic.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Sour%20Grapes
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EZakaria%20Tamer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESyracuse%20University%20Press%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E176%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
