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Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is setting the course towards renewable energy.
Kazakhstan’s electric power system has traditionally depended on coal, which accounted for about two-thirds of the country’s power production in 2022. However, the system is ageing; almost all coal-fired power plants are over 30 years old, and the Soviet-era transmission and distribution networks are also outdated.
Kazakhstan aims to increase the share of renewables in its electric power generation from 5.8 percent in the first half of 2023 (not including large hydro) to 15 percent by 2030. The government plans to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable and nuclear power by 2050 and has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060.
Hence, Kazakhstan has set a clear goal to transform its electric power sector, changing the focus from coal to renewables. It is expected that wind energy and solar PV will play an increasingly important role in the power system and start shaping the future of the country’s energy system. However, so far, this goal lacks concrete plans. This creates uncertainty both for the traditional energy sector and for the emerging renewables industry.
Agora Energiewende supports its Kazakh thinktank partners in their work for an effective transformation of the energy system.
