DUSHANBE, December 2, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- In connection with severe electricity shortages, Tajik researchers will conduct survey on use of renewable energy sources in the country, Qurbon Kabutov, director of the Center for Study and Use of Renewable Energy Sources within the Academy of Sciences, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.  

According to him, a national comprehensive program for wide use of renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy and biomass energy.    

Kabutov noted that Khorog and Khujand universities as well as Tajik Agriculture University were implementing the program.

“Tajikistan has very good conditions for use of solar energy, and therefore, we have considered, first of all, this alternative, which is topical especially for remote mountain villages, where it is very difficult to construct power-transmission lines,” the researcher said, noting that the wind energy could be used in some regions of the country.  

“The wind energy could be used, for example, in some areas of Sughd and Khatlon provinces, as well as in some districts subordinate to the center,” Kabutov said.  

On the biomass – energy from organic materials, the researcher noted, “Tajikistan has not yet processed agricultural waste to provide energy, however, research in this direction is being carried out.”  

According to him, if the work is efficient, Tajikistan will start production of these types of energy starting from 20013 and according to the preliminary estimates, the renewable energy will have accounted for more than 10 percent of the overall volume of produced electrical power by 2020.