DUSHANBE, December 23, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Deputies of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) have endorsed the bill on use of the renewable energy resources in Tajikistan.

A regular sitting of the sixth session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the third convocation, presided over by its head, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held today.  

Presenting the bill, MP Yusufjon Akhmedov said that it had been worked out by MPs Saydullo Khairulloyev, Shodi Shabdolov and Ismoil Talbakov.

“This law will define legal ad organizing aspects of use of renewable energy resources in Tajikistan,” said Akhmedov, “The law will also promote development of so-called small power engineering in our country.  According to the preliminary estimates, reserves of the small power engineering in Tajikistan amount to some 3 million megawatt.”

Besides, adoption of this law promotes improvement of the environment and climate protection measures in the region, he added.

Speaking at the session, MP Shodi Shabdolov, who is one of authors of the bill, noted that the law should promote acceleration of construction of small hydropower plants and use of wind power and solar energy in the country.  “In our opinion, the law will also improve conditions for attraction of foreign investments for development of Tajikistan’s energy sector,” stressed Shabdolov, “We offer to set up a special republican fund for implementation of this law.”

Renewable energy is energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished).  According to Wikipedia, in 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, such as wood-burning and 3% from hydroelectricity. New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels) accounted for 2.4% and are growing very rapidly.  The share of renewables in electricity generation is around 18%, with 15% of global electricity coming from hydroelectricity and 3.4% from new renewables.  Wind power is growing at the rate of 30% annually, with a worldwide installed capacity of 121,000 megawatts (MW) in 2008, and is widely used in European countries and the United States