Is Kazakhstan a good place to invest in solar power?

Kazakhstan has remarkable solar potential with a very well-designed auction system, a clear renewable capacity addition schedule, and a solid decarbonisation target. The country is now also including storage systems as part of its public procurement strategy in a move that will ease further integration of renewables into the grid.

Does Kazakhstan have solar power?

True, Kazakhstan has over 85 percent of Central Asia’s total solar potential, according to a UN estimate. Yet Nazarbayev’s ambition has been slow to meet reality: Four years later, Kazakhstan had only a modest 157 MW of installed solar capacity, about enough to power a small city. State capitalism in China then offered Kazakhstan a nudge.

What is Kazakhstan's largest solar project?

Kazakhstan’s largest solar project – a 100 MW field in Saran, Karaganda Province – was opened last year by a German company, also with EBRD backing. Russian engineers doubled capacity at the EBRD-backed Burnoye plant in Zhambyl in 2018.

Can solar power drive Kazakhstan's Energy Transition?

However, Kazakhstan’s solar ambitions do not fully tap into its potential, and the technology could play a far larger role in the country’s energy transition due to its low cost and flexibility. The focus now is on leveraging solar’s comparative advantages to drive forward Kazakhstan’s decarbonisation and harness its significant solar resources.

What's new in Kazakhstan?

This update contains the latest economic and political advancements in the country, including the announcement of Kazakhstan’s new decarbonisation target for 2060, and the recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between the EU and Kazakhstan, stepping up cooperation on renewables, green hydrogen, and battery value chains.