In 2019, capacity of renewable energy sources in Kazakhstan doubled

At a government session chaired by Prime Minister Askar Mamin, issues of the development of renewable energy sources were considered.

Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev reported on the work in this direction, Chairman of the Board of Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Management Company KEGOC Bakytzhan Kazhiev — on the interaction with the renewable energy market, Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources Magzum Mirzagaliev — on the impact of renewable energy facilities on the environment, akims of the Zhambyl region Ablay Myrzakhmetov and East Kazakhstan region Daniyal Akhmetov — on the development of renewable energy in regions.

In Kazakhstan, there are 83 renewable energy facilities with an installed capacity of 936.8 MW, including 18 wind, 27 solar, 35 hydroelectric power plants and 3 bioelectric power plants. Of these, only this year 15 facilities with a capacity of 405.17 MW were commissioned. Until the end of this year it is planned to commission 4 renewable energy facilities with a capacity of 104.8 MW — 1 wind power station in the North Kazakhstan region, 2 solar power stations in the Kyzylorda rgion and 1 hydroelectric power station in the East Kazakhstan region, which will increase the total capacity of renewable energy facilities to 1042 MW — almost two times more than in 2018 (531.63 MW). By 2025, at least 3,000 MW of installed RES capacity will be operational.

“As world practice shows, today the development of alternative energy sources is the most important trend in attracting investment and improving the environment. Over the past ten years, global renewable energy capacities have quadrupled — from 414 GW to 1,650 GW; global investment over the same period will soon reach $2.6 trillion. By the end of 2019, 87 renewable energy facilities with a capacity of 1,042 MW will be operating in Kazakhstan. Investments amounted to 406 billion tenge,” Mamin said.

The prime minister noted that Kazakhstan held an international auction for the implementation of renewable energy projects with an installed capacity of 3 thousand MW, in which 138 companies from 12 countries took part.

“Now the prices for wind and solar electricity are reduced. For a wider use of renewable energy, I instruct you to develop state support measures that stimulate their development,” Mamin said.

In order to improve the investment attractiveness of renewable energy projects, the prime minister instructed the Ministry of Energy to provide for amendments to existing legislation, taking into account international experience.

The prime minister emphasized that the leaders in the number of renewable energy sources are Almaty, Zhambyl regions, and East Kazakhstan, while, for example, in the West Kazakhstan and Aktobe regions there is not a single existing renewable energy facility.

“Akimats should actively work with investors on renewable energy projects, expand their application to improve the environmental situation in the regions,” said the prime minister.

Mamin instructed the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources to ensure compliance with the Paris Agreement and reduce emissions into the environment.

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