As solar and wind power capacity continues to grow, the challenge is no longer simply to generate electricity, but also to store it until it is needed. Renewable power generation varies throughout the day: at times, electricity supply exceeds demand, while at others demand rises sharply. This makes technologies capable of storing surplus electricity and releasing it back to the grid increasingly important.
One such technology is Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES). When surplus electricity is available, atmospheric air is compressed and cooled to around –194°C to –196°C, turning it into a liquid. The liquid air is then stored in insulated tanks. When electricity demand rises, it is warmed and converted back into gas. As the air expands, it drives a turbine and generates electricity.
On 30 October 2026, a LAES facility with a power capacity of 60 MW and an energy storage capacity of 600 MWh was connected to the grid in China’s Qinghai Province. At full output, it can supply electricity for nearly 10 hours. The facility operates alongside a 250 MW solar power plant: surplus solar electricity is used to liquefy air, while the stored energy can be released back to the grid when demand increases.
One of the main advantages of LAES is that it does not depend on mountainous terrain, large reservoirs or suitable underground caverns. Its main limitation, however, is relatively low efficiency. Standalone LAES systems typically recover around 50–60% of the electricity used to charge the system, with the remainder lost during compression, cooling and reheating. LAES is therefore unlikely to replace battery storage. Instead, it could complement batteries in applications that require larger amounts of energy to be stored for longer periods.
Energy storage is also expanding rapidly in Uzbekistan. In 2025, storage facilities with a combined capacity of 1,245 MW were commissioned, while total capacity is expected to reach 4.5 GW by 2030.
For Uzbekistan, Navoi and Bukhara regions could be considered for an initial assessment of LAES because both combine growing renewable generation with major industrial activity. In Navoi, for example, a feasibility study could determine when surplus electricity is available, whether nearby industrial facilities produce usable waste heat, and how a LAES facility could be integrated into the power grid.
The technology could then be compared with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in terms of cost, efficiency, storage duration and operating life. If the assessment shows favourable results, a small-scale demonstration project could be considered.
As Uzbekistan expands renewable energy, LAES could become one of several technologies used to broaden the country’s options for long-duration energy storage.
Alisher Azizov
Chief Specialist, NGO “Center for Sustainable Development”