Canadian solar developer SkyPower has announced a $1.3bn investment in the Central Asian republic of Uzbekistan.
The firm plans to build a 1GW solar development in the country as part of the "largest foreign direct investment in Uzbekistan’s history" according to SkyPower.
The project will contribute an estimated $2.9bn to Uzbekistan’s gross domestic product and create thousands of jobs.
The completed development will involve about 10% of the country’s total renewable generation capacity, helping the country reach its 2030 Paris Climate commitments.
François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of international trade, said: "Growing Canada’s cleantech and renewable sectors and encouraging the export of locally developed ideas and solutions that benefit the world is a priority for our government.
"I am pleased to see industry leaders like SkyPower Global help us towards that goal. This historic partnership with UzbekEnergo and the government of Uzbekistan will bolster growth in the region and help establish Canadian expertise in this fast-growing sector. I commend the SkyPower team for thinking big!"
In 2015, SkyPower invested $4.4bn in Kenya’s energy market, doubling the commitment it had made earlier in the year.
Image: The Kyzyl Kum Desert south in Uzbekistan (Wikimedia Commons/Leaflet)
