INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 83

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INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 83

April 24, 2015

economy.. 2

Enterprises of shoe industry of Uzbekistan – Association of Uzbekcharmpoyabzali produce goods for 89.6bn soums. 2

ENERGETICS. 2

Uzbekistan can produce over trillion KWH of electricity a year with wind farms. 2

BUSINESS CLIMATE.. 3

Home Appliances to Get Marked. 3

festivals. 4

Echo from the Past 4

 

 

 

 

economy

Enterprises of shoe industry of Uzbekistan – Association of Uzbekcharmpoyabzali produce goods for 89.6bn soums

Enterprises of Association Uzbekcharmpoyabzali produced goods for 89.6 billion soums in January-March 2015, which rose by 13.7 billion soums or 18% compared to the same period of 2014 (currency rates of CB RU from 24.04.2015   1$= 2507.40 soums).

According to the Association, the enterprises of the industry manufactured consumer goods for 28.4 billion soums in January-March 2015 or 0.4 billion soums more compared to the same period of 2014. The growth rate made up 0.1%.

The enterprises increased production of leather products by 6.5% in the reporting period, footwear – 1.2% and leather goods – 5.1%.

In the reporting period, the industry started to produce new 30 types of leather products and 55 new models of footwear, the Association said.

Within the programme of localizations, the Uzbek enterprises produced goods for 817.8 million, which is 19.4% higher than forecast for the first quarter of 2015.

The enterprises of Uzbekcharmpoyabzali exported goods for US$26.54 million in January-March 2015, which is higher by 2.3 times compared to the forecast for the quarter and 2% compared to the same period of 2014.

The goods were exported to six countries such as South Korea, Turkey, China, Pakistan, India and Kazakhstan in the first quarter of 2015.

In line with the investment programme, the industry used investments for US$4.51 million in January-March 2015.

Within the regional targeted programme, the industry used investments for US$1.7026 million in the first quarter of 2015.

In the reporting period, the industry launched 11 projects, of which three were new projects and 8 – projects on modernization of existing capacities.

The industry created production capacities for manufacturing 487,500 pairs of footwear, 40,000 pairs of footwear sole, 0.9 million square decemeters of ready leather and 15,000 units of leather products.

(Source: UzDaily.com )

 

ENERGETICS

Uzbekistan can produce over trillion KWH of electricity a year with wind farms

Uzbekistan annually can produce over trillion KWH of electricity with the wind farms, a report on wind energy potential of Uzbekistan, prepared by the consortium of German companies said.

Talimardjan thermal power station and German companies Intec-GOPA and GEO-NET carries out assessment of wind power potential of Uzbekistan with the project “Construction of high voltage line 500 kV Talimarjan thermal power station – Sogdiana sub-station with 500 kV switcher station at Talimarjan thermal power station” at the support of the World Bank.

Within the project, the Wind Atlas – an interactive information-analytical system of wind power potential of Uzbekistan, developed with computer modeling, was prepared.

Based on developed atlas, Uzbekenergo determined two perspective areas in Navoi region and southern Karakalpakstan to conduct further detail research wind power potential of these areas.

In March 2015, meteorological towers with the height of 85 meters each with meters to assess speed and direction of wind, as well as air density and temperature were installed. These meters transfer data to further analyzes in online regime via satellite system. The data will be used to determine optimal capacity of wind power generators and potential volume of electricity generation at preparation of investment project.

Botir Khodjaev, First Deputy Minister of Economy of Uzbekistan, said that according to the forecast, demand of Uzbekistan for electricity will grow almost twice by 2030 – to 105 billion KWH.

He said that use of new highly efficient technologies and renewable energy is not variant for development of the industry, but a necessity. He added that Uzbekistan has been realizing projects on creation of new and modernization of existing generation capacities with use of renewable sources of energy.

Johannes Becker, a project manager at GEO-NET, said that in line with preliminary conservative assessment, estimated wind power resources of Uzbekistan makes up 520,000 megawatts of installed capacities and over billion MWH of electricity a year.

He stressed that Uzbekistan can create 518,261 MW of 520,259 MW (99.6%) of installed wind power generators at the areas with moderate wind conditions with the use of a 3 MW wind turbine with a rotor diameter of 100 meters and a height from the ground to the rotor of 100 m, , 1,232 MW (0.237%) at the areas with good wind conditions and 765 MW (0.15%) at perfect wind conditions.

Becker said that overall Uzbekistan can produce about 1,077,651 GWH of electricity a year (1078 TWH a year) with help of wind farms.

He said that mountainous areas in northern eastern direction from Tashkent, mountains chain in south-east from Samarkand and mountain chain between Jizzakh and Samarkand region have the highest wind potential. Navoi region and Karakalpakstan are on the second place on wind potential.

The German consultants recommended to focus efforts in initial stage to Navoi region and Karakalpakstan for installation of wind power generators as it is difficult or impossible to realize large scale projects in mountainous regions.

Currently, it is necessary to invest about US$1 million to create 1 MW power wind generator, which is almost equal with the cost of modern combined-cycle plant. The prime cost of generated electricity at wind power facility is about 5.5 cents per 1 KWH.

(Source: UzDaily.com )

 

BUSINESS CLIMATE

Home Appliances to Get Marked

Uzbekistan is mapping out a range of measures to improve the energy efficiency in industrial and domestic sectors in the coming years. Along with saving energy and cutting production costs, the republic will be able to build up its export potential and introduce advanced equipment and technologies in many fields.

One of the stages of this work was launched last week. The Uzbek government has approved a range of measures on introducing a system of mandatory energy labeling and certification of sold household appliances, as well as newly erected buildings and structures. It might seem not a milestone in the development of domestic energy efficiency. Meanwhile, most industrially developed European countries, all the more so the leading exporters of home appliances like South Korea, Japan and the United States, have been enhancing energy efficiency and energy saving for over 30 years by means of special tools for energy labeling and minimum energy performance standards.

The standards themselves and labeling perform as helping supplements and are most effective being part of an integrated strategy of market transformation. For example, the standards ensure that goods with the worst performance are removed from the market, and labeling stimulates consumers to purchase more effective products. These measures will be reinforced by the initiatives on promotion of the establishment of new domestic manufactures backed by research, experimental innovations and funding of modernization of manufactures. There is another important point. Today’s consumer is still unable to select the most energy-efficient household appliances on the market. Many manufacturers use a variety of tricks to show off their products with the best hand, using different marketing approaches. Therefore, the emergence of a well-known and unified system of labeling and certification would considerably clear the market of substandard products, and make it transparent.

According to new requirements, as of January 1, 2016, Uzbekistan is introducing a regulation on the mandatory inclusion of information on respective energy efficiency class in the technical documentation and labels of the household appliances that have been imported and are sold on the territory of the republic.

The appliances and electronic devices will be classified as ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘E’, ‘F’, ‘G’. The household appliances with highest power efficiency will be classified by ‘A’, and the household electrical appliances with lower energy efficiency will get ‘G’ respectively. Additional classes of ‘A +’, ‘A ++’ and above will specify the performance, which is considerably higher than that of the ‘A’ class.

Besides, as of January 1, 2016, Uzbekistan is introducing a ban on the import, and from July 1, 2016 – a ban on sale of home appliances and electronics that lack information on energy efficiency class in the documentation and labels. The government has also resolved on a phased ban on the import and sale of household appliances with ‘G’ class energy efficiency from January 1, 2017, ‘F’ class – from January 1, 2018, and ‘E’ class – from January 1, 2019.

These requirements apply to air conditioners, refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and laundry machines, electric water heaters, electric space heating and ground heating, microwave ovens, electric cookers, hobs, monitors, televisions, and incandescent light bulbs.

(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

 

festivals

Echo from the Past

Fans and researchers of folk traditions and customs were inspired with the news that the next holiday of centuries-old values, “Boisun bakhori” folk festival would be held on May 15. It will take place in picturesque mountains of Surkhandarya Region, the southernmost region of Uzbekistan.

It is worthwhile to note that the residents of this area set up a unique folk-ethnographic ensemble “Boisun” thirty years ago.

There are 40 residents of Boisun district taking part in the ensemble’s work and fond of creative activity: all of them are of venerable age. Nevertheless, they are determined to participate in the festival.

“The repertoire of the ensemble includes popular songs and dances,” says Buriqul Jumayev, head of the group. “There are many historical and ritual ones among them. For example, the modern generation enjoys watching ‘jahr’, which in ancient times was considered a curative dance.”

“Each region of Uzbekistan has its own traditions and customs,” says 70-year old resident of Sariosiyo village, Boisun district, participant of the ensemble, Ali bobo Ravshanov. “Unique traditions in their almost unchanged form have preserved in Surkhandarya in mountainous Boisun. As the local old timers say, customs and rituals convey the wholeness of popular wisdom. Dances manifest the pride and fortitude coming from cold springs and majestic mountains. It preserves the nation’s continued lifeline with centuries-old traditions.

Mostly males dance in “Boisun” ensemble. Musical instruments consist only of a drum or doira, seldom – surnai. Performances are accompanied with guttural signing of the older-generation amateur artists – Komil Rakhmonov, Isatillo Yodgorov, as well as younger performers Anvar Eshmurodov, Umid, Safarov, Umar Shoimov and Bunyod Holboyev.

“We try to pass down our knowledge to younger generation, help young creative groups, in particular to students’ ensemble “Jaykhun” of the Termiz State University, which has Boisun dances in its repertoire,” says Buriqul Jumayev. “My heart fills with joy when I see how our young people whole-heartedly try to express the beauty and richness of a folk dance.”

We have to admit that within the government program “The Year of Attention and Care for the Senior Generation” the ensemble will get additional state support. The Ministry for Culture and Sports Affairs with the assistance of social partners will help organize a concert tour for the ensemble not only along the Surkhandarya Region but also along other regions of the country. Resources have been allocated for the purchase of musical instruments, inventory and stage dresses.

(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

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