Laws and policy
The laws, decrees and strategies that shape geothermal energy, heat pumps and renewable heat in Uzbekistan, each with a plain-English summary and a link to the official text.
Laws
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Law
ZRU-539
21 May 2019
On the use of renewable energy sources
The framework law for renewable energy. Article 3 lists the heat of the earth (geothermal energy) among renewable sources, and Article 7 makes the Ministry of Energy the authorised state body. No permit is needed to produce electricity or heat from renewables for your own needs, but renewable heat installations may not be connected to regional or main heat networks (Articles 15–16). The tax breaks originally set out in Article 14 have been governed by the Tax Code since 1 January 2025.
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Law
ZRU-1076
30 July 2025
On approval of the Water Code
The Water Code replaced the 1993 Law “On water and water use”. Article 15 makes the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology the authorised body for managing groundwater, the category that includes thermal water, while surface water falls to the Ministry of Water Resources. Special water use and its permits (Articles 55–56) and the use of groundwater (Article 123) are the provisions that apply to wells for thermal water.
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Law
ZRU-987
31 October 2024
On subsoil
The new subsoil law replaced the 2002 law of the same name. It leaves water outside its scope, apart from industrial groundwater that is unfit for drinking or balneological use, and names the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology among the competent bodies. It is the legal basis cited by the ministry’s 2025 guideline on geothermal water deposits.
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Law
ZRU-940
7 August 2024
On energy saving, its rational use and improving energy efficiency
Replaced the 1997 Law “On the rational use of energy”. It provides financial and tax incentives for energy efficiency and wide use of renewable energy (Article 6), counts installing renewable energy devices as an energy-efficiency measure (Article 11) and requires energy audits for organisations in the State Energy Register (Article 16).
Presidential decrees and resolutions
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Presidential resolution
Number not yet published
13 October 2026
On additional measures to develop greenhouse farming with “green” technologies and make better use of household plots
From 1 November 2026 to 1 April 2030, greenhouses with heat-saving covers or green heating (heat pumps, geothermal, solar heating or high-efficiency electric heating) have 50% of the cost of the electricity they use from October to March covered. In five districts of Tashkent region, 40% of the cost of solar panels, heat pumps and other energy-saving equipment for household greenhouses is covered, up to 100 million soums. The text is not yet on lex.uz, so this summary is based on the Ministry of Justice announcement as reported by Kun.uz and Spot.uz.
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Presidential resolution
PP-100
11 March 2025
On measures to radically reform the heat supply of housing, buildings and structures and to improve the energy efficiency of buildings
From 1 June 2025, design documents for new and reconstructed buildings must include renewable energy installations, alternative heating such as solar collectors or heat pumps, and energy-saving equipment, whoever pays for the building; occupancy permits are checked against this. It also funds pilot projects heating four-storey homes with heat pumps and solar panels in Chinoz and Oltiariq districts, and heat pumps and solar collectors for social facilities in Bukhara region.
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Presidential decree
UP-22
14 February 2025
On additional measures to introduce a modern organisational system and financial support for owners of household plots and dehkan farms
Calls for energy-saving greenhouses built on “green” principles on household plots, and for new ways to help families set them up. Ready-made greenhouses are leased to households for five years with a 24-month grace period.
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Presidential resolution
PP-57
16 February 2023
On measures to accelerate the introduction of renewable energy sources and energy-saving technologies in 2023
People who install renewable energy installations of up to 100 kW are exempt from property tax and land tax for three years from commissioning, or ten years with storage of at least 25% of installed capacity. It also launched the “Solar Home” programme, paying households 1,000 soums per kWh of surplus solar power fed into the grid. It does not say whether heat pumps count as renewable installations.
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Presidential resolution
PP-439
7 December 2022
On additional measures to protect and regulate the rational use of groundwater resources
Sets up hydrogeological conclusions and special water-use permits for drilling water wells, and licences for drilling companies from 1 April 2023. Since 1 January 2024 every groundwater intake must have a meter, except personal use by individuals of up to 5 m³ a day, and unmetered abstraction is charged at five times the tax rate. It applies to any well drilled for thermal water or an open-loop heat pump.
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Presidential resolution
PP-4422
22 August 2019
On accelerated measures to improve the energy efficiency of economic sectors and the social sphere, introduce energy-saving technologies and develop renewable energy sources
Set the goal of raising renewables to more than 25% of electricity generation by 2030, introduced tax exemptions for renewable installations and their manufacturers, and gave households 30% compensation for solar panels and solar water heaters. It also calls for modern heat pumps and for studying foreign experience with heat pumps in homes.
Government and ministry acts
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Cabinet of Ministers resolution
No. 673
24 October 2025
On measures to form the energy service market and encourage higher energy efficiency of residential housing
The main incentive for heat pumps in homes. After an energy audit, households get back 100% of the audit cost, 20% of the cost of solar panels, solar collectors and other heating devices, and 40% of the cost of buying and installing a heat pump, up to 50 times the base calculation value. The subsidies are paid by the National Energy Efficiency Agency, and the definition of a heat pump includes devices that draw on geothermal sources.
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Cabinet of Ministers resolution
No. 162
9 April 2026
On further measures to develop greenhouse farming in Surkhandarya region
Phases out polluting greenhouse heating around the capital. In Tashkent city and the Yuqori Chirchiq, Qibray, Yangiyo‘l, Zangiota and Tashkent districts, no new greenhouses burning coal, fuel oil or other harmful fuels may open from 1 June 2026, gas supply to greenhouses stops from 1 August 2026, and pollution charges for burning coal, tyres or fuel oil rise twentyfold. Growers who move to the Surkhon-Agro zone get help with relocation.
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Decision of the Ministry of Mining Industry and Geology
No. 8, Appendix 13
9 April 2025
Guideline on applying the classification of groundwater reserves and resources to geothermal water deposits
The only regulation found that deals specifically with geothermal water. It defines geothermal water as groundwater above 35 °C, whatever its chemistry, divided into thermal water (up to 100 °C) and superheated water (above 100 °C), and sets out how reserves are classified and assessed, including geothermal potential in gigajoules, megawatts and tonnes of standard fuel. It replaced a 1994 instruction and is binding on all geological survey organisations. It is published on the government portal but not on lex.uz.
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Cabinet of Ministers resolution
No. 119
12 May 2014
On approval of the Regulation on the procedure for monitoring the subsoil
Sets up state monitoring of the subsoil and lists “groundwater (including thermal and mineral)” among the objects monitored for quality and quantity.
Strategies and climate targets
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Climate pledge under the Paris Agreement
NDC 3.0
6 November 2025
Third Nationally Determined Contribution of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s current climate pledge: a 50% cut in greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 2035 compared with 2010. It plans to raise the share of energy generated from renewable sources to 54% over the next five years, cites the goal of 25,000 MW of renewable capacity, and includes modernising heating systems and energy-saving greenhouses on household plots.
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Presidential decree
UP-21
16 February 2026
On additional measures to continue reforms and bring them to a new stage within the priority directions of the country’s development until 2030
Approved the updated “Uzbekistan-2030” Strategy for 2026–2030, replacing the original strategy decree of 2023. Its updated energy and climate targets are in Annex 1, which we have not yet been able to check.
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Presidential resolution
PP-436
2 December 2022
On measures to increase the effectiveness of reforms aimed at Uzbekistan’s transition to a “green” economy until 2030
The green-economy programme to 2030: 15 GW of renewable capacity, more than 30% of electricity from renewables, at least 20% better energy efficiency in industry, 30% lower energy intensity of GDP, and a 35% cut in greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP compared with 2010.
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Presidential resolution
PP-4477
4 October 2019
On approval of the Strategy for the transition of the Republic of Uzbekistan to a “green” economy for 2019–2030
Uzbekistan’s first green-economy strategy. Its measures include solar collectors to heat water in boiler houses, solar heat and power for rural and remote areas, and air conditioners with a heat-pump function in buildings. Parts were amended by PP-436 in 2022.
Replaced documents that are still often cited (5)
UP-158 · 11 September 2023
On the “Uzbekistan-2030” Strategy. Set targets of 25,000 MW of renewables, a 40% share of renewables in total consumption, and a 30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP from 2010. Replaced by UP-21 on 17 February 2026. Text
NDC · 2021
Updated Nationally Determined Contribution. Pledged a 35% cut in greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 2030 from 2010, and at least 25% of electricity from renewables by 2030. Replaced by the third NDC in November 2025. Text
412-I · 25 April 1997
On the rational use of energy. Lost force on 9 November 2024, replaced by ZRU-940. Current law
444-II · 13 December 2002
On subsoil. Lost force on 2 February 2025, replaced by ZRU-987. Current law
837-XII · 1993
On water and water use. Repealed when the Water Code came into force on 31 October 2025. Current law
Summaries are for information only and are not legal advice. The texts were checked on lex.uz, the government portal and the UNFCCC registry on 14 October 2026. Laws change, so always check the official text. Document numbers: ZRU = Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan (O‘RQ in Uzbek); UP = Decree of the President (PF in Uzbek); PP = Resolution of the President (PQ in Uzbek). Know of a document we’ve missed? Tell us.