Kazakhstan’s energy consumption to double by 2035

The International Energy Agency forecasts the energy consumption of Kazakhstan to double by 2035, Tomasz Telma, Regional Director of the International Finance Corporation for Europe and Central Asia, said at a seminar on the application of best international practices to the development of renewable energy projects in Kazakhstan last week.

 

Kazakhstan is among 10 countries with the highest level of energy intensity of the economy, and this trend is not declining. Therefore, according to Telma, the modernization of the Kazakh economy will be connected to a serious reduction in energy intensity so that the economy would be less dependent on the consumption of energy.

Clean energy is a very important issue for Kazakhstan and Central Asia as whole, where it is of particular relevance.

IFC focuses its activity on reducing carbon emissions and increasing the efficient use of water and land resources.

Kazakhstan has real chances to improve energy efficiency

Telma believes that Kazakhstan enjoys real opportunities to improve energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy. The country is also taking important steps in the development of renewable energy sources and increasing the number of environmental measures.

Kazakhstan is an important player in the development of clean energy. The country plans to implement 106 projects on renewable energy by 2020—in particular, 34 wind farm, 41 hydropower plant, 28 solar plant and three biogas plant projects.

Energy-rich Kazakhstan is currently looking for ways to use renewable energy sources. In late January, an action plan was adopted on the development of renewable energy sources for a period from 2013 to 2020.

This week a new 50 MW solar project is planned to be inaugurated in Zhambyl region. Kazakhstan also expects the production of energy from Yereimentau Wind Park in the second half of 2015.

The Energy Ministry is interested in involving renewable energy sources as a part of the country’s energy balance, reducing emissions into the environment, and bringing these standards to the European level by 2030.

Astana Solar LLP, a company involved in the production of solar cells, said earlier that the share of renewable energy sources in Kazakhstan’s power grid will reach 3 percent by 2020.

Experts believe that Kazakhstan must turn to alternative energy sources by 2030, as traditional sources are being exhausted and their prices are rising. They claim that about 20-30 percent of energy consumption can be saved by using alternative energy resources.

According to a recently adopted concept for the transition to a ‘green economy,’ in case of high domestic prices for natural gas, the energy basket of the country will comprise of 11 percent of wind and solar energy sources, while the share of nuclear power will reach 8 percent, hydropower 10 percent, gas 21 percent and coal 49 percent by 2030.

Given Kazakhstan’s natural conditions, it is clear that the most promising alternative energy sector is wind power generation. Relevant studies conducted in the Central Asian state’s regions showed that wind power generation has vast potential.