UZBEKISTAN: TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AGENCY WILL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 001299 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB/ESC STATE FOR OES: PHUDAK, NFITE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL SENV UZ SUBJECT: UZBEKISTAN: TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AGENCY WILL IMPLEMENT USDOE'S RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. The Technology Transfer Agency (TTA) of Uzbekistan will be the implementing partner for the U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) and Carnegie Institute's "School-in-a-Box" renewable energy pilot project in Tashkent, with the first workshop scheduled to take place November 10-15. This project will put a solar powered prefabricated school in a village. After the pilot, there is no limit to the number of such schools that could be set up throughout Central Asia, with at least a 1000 in Uzbekistan alone. It is cheaper to build solar- powered schools in remote villages than to build additional power grid lines. In another proposal, TTA would install micro hydro stations that can generate one kilowatt of energy to power a house's lights and refrigerator. END SUMMARY. IMPLEMENT USDOE'S RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Technology Transfer Agency (TTA) of Uzbekistan Director Akhmat Arslanov and Deputy Director Tolib Sultanov told the Regional Environmental Officer (REO) that they will be the implementing partners for the U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) and Carnegie Institute's renewable energy pilot project, with the first workshop scheduled to take place November 10-15. The project is to be a so-called "School-in-a-Box," which will put a prefabricated school building in a village. This school building will have solar panels on the roof providing electricity and a solar accumulator storage battery. Arslanov said TTA's office is located in the very factory that can build the solar accumulator batteries. ¶3. (SBU) According to Arslanov, the first phase of the pilot project will be to build one school in a village not far from Tashkent, and then, if possible, the second phase will expand to an additional four villages. After that, depending on the availability of funding, there is no limit to the number of such schools that could be set up throughout Central Asia, with at least a 1000 in Uzbekistan alone. RENEWABLE ENERGY SCHOOLS CHEAPER -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Why so many possible projects in Uzbekistan? As Arslanov explained, the demand for energy in remote villages exceeds the capacity and supply. Often there is only two hours of electricity per day, which translates to no lights, no computer use, and no electrical equipment of any kind. Paradoxically, he said, the grid is set up such that the government would have to build additional power lines to these remote locations in order to supply the schools, and it is actually cheaper to install a renewable energy school than to run additional power lines. At present, it is very difficult to guarantee continuous electricity to these remote schools, so there is a great need and demand for renewable energy schools. In addition, he noted that remote surgical rooms and anti-plague stations along the border that need to refrigerate vaccines could also benefit from solar powered energy. MICRO HYDRO STATIONS -------------- TASHKENT 00001299 002 OF 002 ¶5. (SBU) Arslanov said that TTA has many other alternative energy proposals, including biogas and bioenergy. REO found TTA's micro hydro stations to be the most intriguing. Arslanov said most hydro projects are large scale, necessitating channeling water flows through turbines. He said a remote mountain rivulet that dribbles down the side of a mountain, or a slow moving canal wandering past an isolated hut could also provide power by means of a micro hydro station that can be set in the stream flow and can generate one Kilowatt of energy, sufficient to power a house's lights, refrigerator, etc. Many remote areas could benefit from such micro power sources. NORLAND