TAJIKISTAN PLANS TO PRODUCE 500,000 TONS OF GREEN HYDROGEN BY 2030 AND DOUBLE THAT FIGURE BY 2040, LEVERAGING ITS ABUNDANT HYDROPOWER RESOURCES. HOW YOU EXPECT TO ACHIEVE THESE BOLD OBJECTIVES?

 

The hydrogen targets reflect our preliminary ambitions, and we are currently assessing the economic feasibility of both domestic use and exports. A national roadmap is under development, guided by an interdepartmental working group tasked with shaping a Program for the development of green hydrogen production and its export.

 

We are fortunate to have abundant and affordable hydropower—currently, only 4% of our potential is being utilized. Our goal is to harness this clean resource for large-scale hydrogen production. Around 75% of the energy derived from hydrogen is envisioned for export, primarily to Central Asian countries. We’re also exploring newer export channels beyond pipelines, thanks to emerging hydrogen transportation technologies that could open access to European and Asian markets.

 

In terms of partnerships, we’re engaging with global players like ACWA Power, Masdar, Total Eren and expanding our focus to include solar and wind, targeting 10 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. All energy produced in Tajikistan for export is green, and hydrogen will follow suit—aligning fully with our commitments under the UNFCCC and our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

 

THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EBRD HAVE JOINTLY COMMITTED €20 MILLION TO MODERNIZE TAJIKISTAN’S ELECTRICITY GRID. HOW DOES THIS INITIATIVE ALIGN WITH YOUR BROADER GOALS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY?

 

Grid modernization is a vital part of our strategy to reduce technical and financial losses while enhancing renewable integration. Our National Development Strategy to 2030 aims to bring electricity losses down to 10%.

 

In cities like Khujand, Dushanbe and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region, smart technologies have already helped cut losses to about 8%. In Dushanbe’s city, with support from a domestic firm, we installed 143,000 smart meters. As a result, electricity losses in that city dropped to 7% by the end of 2025. These success stories are now being replicated nationwide.

 

This initiative aligns with our broader goal of enhancing the financial sustainability of the energy sector, improving transparency through digital solutions, and ensuring the reliable delivery of electricity to end users.

 

TAJIKISTAN ALSO TARGETS INCREASING THE SHARE OF NON-HYDRO RENEWABLES TO 10% BY 2030. WHAT CONCRETE STEPS IS THE MINISTRY TAKING TO DIVERSIFY THE ENERGY MIX?

 

Diversification is a core priority. We’re developing a renewable energy site map to highlight areas with high solar and wind potential. With support from USAID, we’ve conducted pre-feasibility studies for solar plants and are now using Lidar technology to update wind data, which was previously limited to Soviet-era estimates.

 

We’re also preparing to launch Tajikistan’s first renewable energy auction for a 200 MW solar plant in Sughd region (Northern Tajikistan). There are 10 projects for development of solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 5’500 MWp on the pipeline. Simultaneously, we’re exploring geothermal energy potential with Japanese government assistance and collaborating with IFC to launch a geothermal pilot in Dushanbe.

 

In parallel, GIZ is supporting a program focused on hydrogen development. Overall, expert estimates suggest Tajikistan’s solar potential exceeds 25 billion kWh annually—enough to meet 10–20% of industrial demand and up to 80% of household needs for much of the year.

 

THE CASA-1000 PROJECT IS A MAJOR REGIONAL INITIATIVE. WHAT IS ITS CURRENT STATUS, AND HOW DOES IT FIT INTO TAJIKISTAN’S STRATEGY TO BECOME A REGIONAL ENERGY HUB?

 

CASA-1000 is central to our goal of becoming a regional power exporter. Construction of the transmission infrastructure has been completed in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, while work in Pakistan is nearing completion. The World Bank has resumed funding for the Afghan portion, and we expect commercial operations by 2027. The infrastructure will enable the export of up to 11 billion kWh per year.

 

Our national goal is to boost electricity exports to 10 billion kWh annually by 2030, which requires new generating capacity and export-ready transmission networks. With CASA-1000, Tajikistan is poised to become an energy bridge between South and Central Asia. Also, to enhance the reliability of the regional energy system, Tajikistan has reconnected its energy infrastructure to the Central Asia grid under the framework of the “Reconnection to the Central Asia Power System Project”.

 

THE EU HAS EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR TAJIKISTAN’S EFFORTS IN WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT. WHAT ARE THE KEY PRIORITIES AND HOW DO INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS CONTRIBUTE?

 

We greatly value the EU’s support. Water is central to both our energy strategy and climate resilience. We’re nearing completion of the Water Sector Reform Program (2016–2025), which modernizes our legal and institutional frameworks and introduces Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) principles.

 

A major achievement is the launch of the National Water Information System, which strengthens digital monitoring and management. In November 2024, we adopted the National Water Strategy to 2040, which sets ambitious targets—expanding centralized water access from 41% to 90%, raising wastewater services to 50%, cutting irrigation losses, and scaling up water-saving technologies to cover 100,000 hectares.

 

This strategy is fully aligned with the UN SDGs and supported by over 22 projects worth $522 million from development partners. Together, these initiatives are improving resilience, reducing climate risk, and driving sustainable growth.

 

CLIMATE CHANGE ALSO POSES RISKS TO TAJIKISTAN’S ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE. HOW IS THE MINISTRY ADDRESSING CLIMATE ADAPTATION?

 

Climate change is a serious challenge. Our energy infrastructure is vulnerable to seasonal water fluctuations, extreme weather, and aging assets. Over-reliance on hydropower—while environmentally friendly—makes us sensitive to glacier melt and rainfall variability. To mitigate these risks, we’re diversifying generation sources, modernizing infrastructure, and introducing risk management protocols.

 

We’re also phasing out inefficient coal use and developing resilience standards for new hydropower plants. The sector’s vulnerability index is 6.7 out of 10, so we’re investing in research, capacity building, and cleaner energy technologies to improve our adaptation capacity. These efforts will help us ensure stable energy supply even under adverse climatic conditions.

 

LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE YOUR TOP FIVE-YEAR PRIORITIES FOR ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT, AND HOW DO THEY ALIGN WITH SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND REGIONAL COOPERATION?

 

Our priorities are clear and deeply interlinked with our SDG and regional cooperation agenda. First, we aim to expand hydropower generation by 10 GW by 2030 to support clean energy exports. Second, we are reforming the energy sector through unbundling, tariff reforms, and the creation of an independent regulator to enhance financial sustainability. Third, we are modernizing metering and billing systems to improve energy efficiency and transparency—targeting a reduction of system-wide losses by 10% by 2030. Fourth, we’re intensifying efforts in cross-border electricity trade, particularly via CASA-1000.

 

Lastly, we’re building institutional capacity and enhancing cooperation under the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework to ensure inclusive access, environmental protection, and long-term sector resilience.