_BIOGRAPHY Abid Malik is President, Central Asia at ACWA, leading the company's activities across its key markets in the region. A mechanical engineer by training, he holds a degree from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, and brings more than 25 years of power-sector experience, with early roles at AES and Engro before joining ACWA in 2009.

“OUR PORTFOLIO HAS GROWN TO NEARLY US$15 BILLION ACROSS 19 PROJECTS, MAKING UZBEKISTAN ACWA'S SECOND-LARGEST INVESTMENT DESTINATION AFTER SAUDI ARABIA.”

WHY WAS UZBEKISTAN ACWA’S NATURAL ENTRY POINT INTO CENTRAL ASIA?

​

Uzbekistan was a natural entry point for Acwa in Central Asia. It combined scale, urgency and commitment to reform. When we entered the market in 2019, the country had a growing economy supported by an energy system still largely dependent on fossil fuels. It needed to expand capacity, improve efficiency and reduce long-term energy costs.

Our portfolio has grown to nearly US$ 15 billion across 19 projects, making Uzbekistan Acwa’s second-largest investment destination after Saudi Arabia. It includes up to 10 GW of renewable capacity, alongside gas-fired generation, battery storage, green hydrogen and associated transmission infrastructure. These projects create industrial and infrastructure growth across regions including Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Samarkand, Sirdarya and Tashkent.

Uzbekistan’s transformation has been shaped by a forward-looking reform agenda under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, anchored in the country’s 2030 Vision, renewable energy targets and broader energy transition. For international investors, what stands out is both the ambition of these reforms and their practical implementation.

The country has established modern PPP frameworks, standardised long-term agreements and a transparent regulatory environment, allowing projects to move from concept to execution quickly. Strong government-to-government relations between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia enable knowledge-sharing, international expertise and long-term cooperation, with Acwa contributing as a practical thought leader in the global energy transition.

​

Execution capability on the ground matters equally. More than 29,000 personnel are deployed across our projects, with over 10 million man-hours completed. The majority of our workforce in Uzbekistan is local. We invest in training, education and long-term skills development because these assets will be operated for decades by Uzbek engineers and specialists. This combination of scale, execution and local capability positions Uzbekistan as a key market in its own right and as a base for broader regional expansion.

WHAT DRIVES THE PLANNED US$ 15 TO 25 BILLION EXPANSION?

​

The expansion rests on three interconnected pillars: renewable capacity, system stability and new energy development. First, we scale renewable energy across our portfolio in line with grid development and demand growth. Second, as renewable penetration increases, system stability becomes critical. Battery energy storage plays a central role, ensuring reliability, managing intermittency and supporting grid balance.

Third, we advance new energy sectors, with a particular focus on green hydrogen. Uzbekistan is home to Central Asia’s first Acwa-developed green hydrogen pilot, designed to produce 3,000 tonnes annually. It demonstrates the country’s ability to move into new energy value chains and creates a foundation for future scale-up.

Green hydrogen is directly linked to industrial applications, including fertiliser production, and opens a pathway towards green ammonia and potential export-oriented solutions in the future. This expansion is supported by a strengthening environment around the sector. Regulatory frameworks evolve, ADB and EBRD partnerships support project financing, and local industrial participation grows. In 2025, our activities generated over US$ 1 billion in domestic economic impact through procurement, construction and services.

WHAT ROLE CAN CENTRAL ASIA PLAY IN CLEAN ENERGY TRADE?

​

Central Asia is entering a new energy landscape. Historically associated with traditional energy resources, the region now has the potential to become a supplier of low-carbon energy and related products. Uzbekistan’s green hydrogen project is an important first step, demonstrating the country’s ability to move from concept to execution in an emerging sector. It also signals that new energy technologies can be developed and integrated within the region’s existing industrial base.

With strong renewable resources and available land, Uzbekistan can scale green hydrogen and its derivatives, such as green ammonia, competitively and in line with global decarbonisation trends. The immediate priority remains domestic. Uzbekistan is undergoing a large-scale energy transformation, and that transition requires capacity, infrastructure and skills.

As this foundation strengthens, the country will be better positioned to participate in cross-border energy flows and, over time, clean energy trade. Building a new energy economy requires engineers, operators and institutions that can sustain it over the long term. This is where investment in human capital becomes just as important as investment in assets.