Uzbekistan is stepping up as a digital pioneer in Central Asia with a bold €185 million venture to build a sustainable data centre in Tashkent’s IT Park. This initiative marks a decisive stride toward strengthening the nation’s IT backbone through green technology and state-of-the-art infrastructure tailored for an AI-driven future. In setting this course, Uzbekistan signals its ambition to lead the region in digital innovation while marrying economic development with environmental responsibility.
Situated at the heart of this project is a partnership with DataVolt, a Riyadh-based company newly established with a laser focus on sustainable data centre development. Their commitment to low-carbon emission facilities taps into a global pivot toward environmentally friendly data storage and processing. The choice of Tashkent’s IT Park as the launch site is no accident—it’s a vibrant innovation hub, perfect for piloting large-scale data operations. The €185 million pilot is just the beginning; visions are already in place to extend this network, including new centres in Bukhara, an ancient city steeped in history, and the emerging “New Tashkent” district designed for a half-million residents. This geographic spread reflects a strategy that combines heritage with futuristic urban expansion.
A standout feature of the project is its staunch sustainability agenda. Harnessing cutting-edge technology, particularly in cooling systems and renewable energy, the data centre aims to slash the carbon footprint traditionally linked to such massive infrastructures. DataVolt vows to power the centre predominantly with renewables, setting a green standard for Central Asia. In an industry notorious for voracious energy demands, such innovation addresses one of the sector’s most pressing issues. The planned facilities will emphasize energy efficiency metrics: reducing waste heat and optimizing power usage effectiveness. These efforts not only serve environmental goals but also preserve operational costs—a win-win in both sustainability and economics.
But the impact of this data centre goes beyond just eco-friendliness. Economically, it’s a transformative catalyst for Uzbekistan’s digital economy. By generating new jobs and attracting global investments, it fortifies the tech ecosystem and fuels growth in related sectors. The alignment of government and private enterprise, cemented in a Memorandum of Understanding, underscores the public-private synergy fueling this digital revolution. More broadly, the project supports national ambitions to digitize government services, empower startups, and boost broadband connectivity—key pillars for a modern, connected nation.
Technologically, the centre is designed with AI readiness at its core. As AI workloads escalate in complexity and scale, infrastructure demanding robust power and cooling becomes vital. Enter Larsen & Toubro (L&T), a global engineering and construction titan awarded the contract to build Uzbekistan’s first AI-enabled, sustainable 10-megawatt data centre. Their expertise not only ensures technical excellence but also the integration of the sustainability targets pivotal to the project’s identity. This blend of high-density computing capacity with cutting-edge green infrastructure characterizes a new wave in data centre design—one where power, intel, and ethics coexist.
Looking forward, this pilot is envisioned as the spearhead for a sprawling digital infrastructure ecosystem. Plans to expand into a data centre campus capable of delivering several hundred megawatts powered entirely by renewable energy would place Uzbekistan at the forefront of eco-friendly data hubs worldwide. Such facilities are essential to meet surging demands driven by AI, cloud computing, and big data analytics. Moreover, embedding “green” technologies here could create a replicable blueprint for neighboring countries wrestling with modernizing their digital frameworks sustainably.
In the end, Uzbekistan’s €185 million sustainable data centre project embodies a fusion of innovation, environmental foresight, and economic transformation. Positioned within Tashkent’s vibrant IT ecosystem, it manifests how emerging markets can leapfrog into advanced digital infrastructure without sacrificing ecological integrity. By embedding sustainability throughout, the initiative aims to curb the environmental toll of burgeoning data needs while empowering Uzbekistan to claim a leadership role in Central Asia’s digital future. As this pilot molds into renewable energy-powered campuses, it promises to recalibrate how data centres operate in emerging economies—pioneering a smarter, greener path for the region’s ongoing digital revolution.
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