BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 21. The President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $750,000 in technical assistance to assess the wind potential for renewable energy development in Turkmenistan, Trend reports via ADB's technical report "Evaluation of Wind Potential for Renewable Energy Development".
According to the information, the technical assistance is aimed at supporting the government of Turkmenistan in the development of wind energy in order to diversify the energy balance and reduce dependence on natural gas.
Moreover, the technical assistance will focus on creating an enabling environment for wind energy development by providing advice on policy, legal, and regulatory reforms; developing a wind energy development plan; confirming the availability of wind resources; and preparing up to six pre-feasibility studies, including two commercial projects.
In addition, the technical assistance will provide the Ministry of Energy with tools to strengthen the management and implementation capacity of wind energy projects. This will contribute to Turkmenistan's transition to sustainable development and fulfillment of renewable energy targets.
"Turkmenistan has the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world, and the country's energy sector is highly dependent on gas as the main fuel for electricity generation. In 2023, electricity production totaled more than 31.0 terawatt hours, of which 9.3 terawatt hours were exported. However, dependence on gas limits the diversity of the energy mix and makes the country vulnerable to changes in global gas markets. It also makes it difficult to meet Turkmenistan's climate commitments. Turkmenistan has significant potential for renewable energy, especially solar and wind energy. However, these opportunities remain unrealized. Low prices for electricity from natural gas hinder the attraction of private investment and the implementation of renewable energy projects. The development of renewable energy sources, especially wind and solar, is a priority for Turkmenistan. However, the country still lacks clear targets in this area. Political and regulatory support is needed to create an environment conducive to private sector participation," the information says.
ADB emphasizes that the technical assistance supports the bank's 2024-2028 strategy in Turkmenistan, as well as Turkmenistan's national renewable energy strategy until 2030.
"It contributes to the fulfillment of national commitments under the Paris Agreement. Building on ADB's experience in implementing renewable energy projects, the technical assistance will apply successful practices in scoping studies, capacity building, and grid integration assessment. The technical assistance complements other ADB initiatives in Turkmenistan, including energy efficiency improvements and low-carbon transition. The data and technical knowledge generated will support the country's transition to sustainable energy. Through technical assessments, feasibility studies, policy recommendations, and capacity building, the technical assistance will provide the government with tools for wind energy development, laying the foundation for long-term energy sustainability," the information notes.
The objective of the technical assistance is to diversify and sustain Turkmenistan's energy mix by integrating wind energy. The expected result is increased readiness to implement wind energy projects.
"The preparation of a national wind energy development plan includes analyzing the current energy mix and wind potential, identifying targets and capacity by 2030 or 2040, and developing a legal and regulatory framework to attract investment and private sector participation.
The total cost of the technical assistance is $750,000, which is financed on a grant basis from ADB. The Turkmen government is providing support in the form of staffing, office space, and transportation.