BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 29. The cooperation between Kazakhstan and Italy in boosting renewable energy capacities is very encouraging, Marco Beretta, President of the Italo-Kazakh Trade Association (ACIK), said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
"The cooperation between Kazakhstan and Italy in boosting renewable energy capacities is very encouraging. Italian companies like Eni Plenitude are already involved in significant green projects in Kazakhstan. This collaboration supports Kazakhstan's energy transition and helps Italy meet its sustainability goals. There are ongoing discussions about several major green projects, which include investments in wind and solar energy, and these initiatives will likely expand in the coming years as both countries strengthen their commitments to renewable energy," he said.
According to Beretta, Kazakhstan’s government has set ambitious targets for renewable energy.
"By 2030, the goal is to generate 30 percent of the country's electricity from renewable sources. These targets are supported by various policies, including feed-in tariffs, tax incentives, and government-backed financing, which make the country an attractive destination for renewable energy investments," Beretta noted.
As he pointed out, further cooperation between Kazakhstan and Italy in the renewable energy sector looks highly promising.
"With Kazakhstan’s ambitious renewable energy goals and Italy’s technological expertise, particularly through companies like Eni Plenitude, there is a significant potential for developing large-scale green projects. This collaboration not only supports Kazakhstan’s energy transition but also contributes to global efforts to combat climate change," he added.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's renewable energy installations had generated 6.675 billion kWh of electricity by the end of 2023. This volume accounts for 5.92 percent of total electrical energy production in 2023.
The country currently has 147 renewable energy facilities (over 100 kW) with an installed capacity of 2,903.54 MW: 59 wind power plants with a capacity of 1,409.55 MW; 46 solar power plant facilities with a capacity of 1,222.61 MW; 39 hydroelectric power plants with a capacity of 269.605 MW; and three biogas power plant facilities with a capacity of 1.77 MW.
Furthermore, 16 renewable energy facilities with a total installed capacity of 495.57 MW were put into operation in 2023: 12 wind farms with a total capacity of 437.1 MW in the Akmola and Zhetysu regions, 2 hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 3.7 MW in the Almaty and Turkestan regions, and two solar power plants with a capacity of 54.77 MW in the Turkestan region.
Hence, a total of 25 renewable energy projects with a combined 599.85 MW of capacity are expected to be commissioned by 2027.