Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 27
By Nigar Guliyeva – Trend:
Kazakhstan plans to increase power generation through renewable energy sources to 2.7 billion kilowatt hours in 2018, said Gani Sadibekov, the deputy energy minister of Kazakhstan.
"We have set a goal to increase the share of alternative and renewable energy sources in the power generation capacity to 30 percent by 2030. The renewable energy market is growing every year, and in 2017, 1 billion kilowatt-hours of energy was generated from renewable energy sources, which is 22 percent more than in 2016. The plan for 2018 is 2.7 billion kilowatt-hours of energy," Sadibekov said.
He added that five renewable energy facilities were commissioned in the country in 2017, while 10 more such facilities with a total capacity of 123 megawatts will be commissioned in 2018.
Sadibekov noted that further development of the renewable energy will be achieved through an auction mechanism that will give an opportunity to choose projects and investors, to make the process more open and transparent.
The first international auction for projects on renewable energy sources with a total capacity of 1 gigawatts is scheduled for this May. Information on the auction will be published on the official websites of Internet resources. The conditions for selection will be the same for all participants, which will ensure equality for all entrepreneurs.
Sadibekov said that in addition to domestic companies, firms from Saudi Arabia, Canada, the United States, and China has already voiced interest in auctions. Successful holding of the auction will reduce the cost of energy received from renewable energy sources, as well as attract advanced technologies in this area.
Under the plan of measures to develop alternative and renewable energy, Kazakhstan seeks to operate 106 renewable energy stations with a total capacity of 3,054.55 MW by 2020. In 2017-2018, 18 more wind farms, 13 hydro power stations and 7 solar energy stations will be put into operation.
The power generation in Kazakhstan is carried out by 118 electric stations of various forms. As of Jan.1, 2017, the total installed capacity of Kazakhstan's power plants is 22,055.5 MW, the available capacity is 18,789.1 MW