Gulf renewables giants power into Central Asia

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are exploiting existing ties to corner the region’s burgeoning clean energy sector

Saudi government-affiliated developer Acwa Power last week signed an agreement to build in northwestern Uzbekistan what it says will be the largest single-site windfarm in Central Asia. Arguably, the firm was beaten to the milestone by its chief regional rival, Abu Dhabi’s stated-owned Masdar Energy—which announced a threefold expansion of its own Uzbek wind power project to the same capacity a month earlier. “Ties are strengthening ” Abdelaziz bin Salman al-Saud, Saudi Arabian energy minister The UAE has long cultivated strategic economic ties with the region, while Riyadh has historically used shared religious and cultural values to extend its influence. Both countries are aware th