LocationsA workshop in Tashkent presented practical tools for energy performance contracts, highlighted the emergence of Uzbekistan’s first private ESCO, and marked a new partnership between the two countries’ energy efficiency agencies.
Uzbekistan and Slovakia Advance Cooperation on Energy Audits and ESCO Development
September 22, 2026
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan
Tashkent, 22 September 2026 – The National Agency for Energy Efficiency of Uzbekistan (NAEE) and UNDP brought together government institutions, energy auditors, private companies, financial institutions and development partners to discuss how energy audits can help turn public building improvements into projects that attract investment.
A key moment was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NAEE and the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA). Signed by NAEE Deputy Director Obid Pardayev and SIEA Director General Michal Fiala, the agreement establishes a basis for continued cooperation and knowledge exchange. It builds on a UNDP-supported study visit to Slovakia in February 2026, during which Uzbek specialists explored Slovak experience with energy service companies (ESCOs), auditor certification and energy performance contracts.
“Slovakia is pleased to share its experience as Uzbekistan develops practical ways to improve energy efficiency in public buildings. The agreement between SIEA and NAEE gives our institutions a strong basis to continue this cooperation and turn shared knowledge into action,” said Maroš Kramár, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic to the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Representatives of NAEE and SIEA signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen Slovak–Uzbek cooperation on energy efficiency.
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan
“This partnership gives us a practical way to continue learning from Slovakia’s experience. Our priority is to strengthen the quality of energy audits and help turn their findings into energy savings in Uzbekistan’s public buildings,” said Obid Pardaev, Deputy Director of NAEE.
Practical tools for better projects
The workshop presented a package of proposed tools developed through the UNDP project to support ESCO projects in public buildings. They address the steps from identifying a suitable building to checking the savings after improvements are made:
- Audit procedures and templates guide initial building assessments and more detailed audits that establish energy use before a project begins.
- A model energy performance contract and implementation manual set out the responsibilities of the building owner and ESCO, how savings are measured, and how payments are linked to results.
- Certification guidance proposes criteria for energy auditors, ESCOs and independent verification specialists, helping build confidence in the quality of their work.
- Financial models help assess whether a project is viable and where additional support may be needed to make improvements affordable.
The tools are proposals for consideration and further application. At the workshop, participants discussed the institutional and regulatory steps needed to put them into practice, including clear responsibilities, reliable building data and consistent verification of savings.
Photo: UNDP Uzbekistan
“An energy audit is most valuable when it leads to action. The tools discussed today can help public institutions identify sound projects, give private companies clearer rules to work with, and show whether the promised savings have been achieved,” said Anas Qarman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Uzbekistan.
The workshop also featured a presentation by the founders of Uzbekistan’s first private sector ESCO, established by participants of the Slovakia study visit. They shared their business approach and discussed what companies need to bring energy efficiency services to the market. Slovak and Uzbek experts then presented recommendations and gathered stakeholder feedback on auditor certification, ESCO development and financing options.
The workshop was held under the UNDP project “Energy Audits – Unlocking the Potential of Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings in Uzbekistan,” supported by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic as part of the wider Public and Private Finance for Development initiative. The project supports Uzbekistan in developing the professional skills, practical tools and institutional cooperation needed to improve energy performance in public buildings.
