Kazakhstan (population 19.6 million) is Central Asia''s largest economy and exhibits all the characteristics of carbon lock-in. It is dependent on exports of oil and gas, while its abundant and inexpensive coal is the main fuel for the power generation sector, with a share of some 70 per cent. Coal is also essential for residential heating (in many regions, winter temperatures routinely plummet to -20°C) and is indispensable for Kazakhstan''s heavy industry. Natural gas is widely seen as a promising transition fuel and there are plans to convert some thermal power plants from coal to gas. Energy prices are subsidised, weakening incentives to invest in energy efficiency and other green technologies. As a result, Kazakhstan is among the most carbon-intensive economies worldwide.
And yet, despite its strong dependence on fossil fuels, Kazakhstan has scored many energy transition firsts in the region. It was the first to launch a national emissions trading system, set renewable energy targets, introduce a functioning support mechanism for renewables, develop utility-scale solar and wind projects, and to set a carbon neutrality target (by 2060). Today, Kazakhstan boasts 957 MW of installed wind power capacity and 1.149 MW of solar, with many more projects under development. By 2035, the country plans to deploy as much as 11.7 GW of new wind and solar capacity.
There is a strongly held view in Kazakhstan that any further development of renewable energy should go hand in hand with an increase in balancing capacity and/or the deployment of expensive storage systems. However, as experience from European countries shows, much higher shares of renewable energy can be successfully integrated through a combination of different mechanisms, including increased regional trade, demand response, grid capacity improvement, better forecasting and so forth.
Another controversial issue is the potential role of nuclear power in Kazakhstan''s energy mix. The Central Asian republic is the world''s largest producer of uranium but has no nuclear capacity in operation. The possible construction of a large nuclear power plant has been the subject of longstanding public debate, with anational referendum scheduled for autumn 2024. While the idea is supported by the government (and welcomed by Russia, whose state nuclear corporation Rosatom would likely build the plant), Kazakh society remains highly polarised on the issue.
In the geopolitics of the global energy transformation, Kazakhstan''s enormous wind and solar potential – coupled with land availability and rich reserves of critical raw materials – represent a strong strategic advantage. Renewables can supply low-cost power to the growing population, bolster energy security and reduce power imports, help decarbonise industry and transport, and attract foreign investment. For a fossil-dependent economy like Kazakhstan, harnessing these benefits is essential for adapting to the decarbonising global economy and contributing to global climate action.
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Energy storage technologies emerged as acritical component in efficient, flexible, reliable use of energyworldwide. They help smoothing out supply of various forms ofrenewable energy
In terms of economic benefit, energy storage systems arecost-effective since they provide for lower operational costs inpowering the grid and potentially reduce the amount customers payfor demand charges due to decrease in consumption by a customer inpeak times.1
Environmental impact of energy storage systems shall not beignored, as several studies show its potential to supportdecarbonisation. For example, as part of the Green Deal, EU sets anambitious goal of decarbonisation until 2030 and 2050 with the helpof energy storage solutions.2
It is also crucial to highlight the importance of the role ofenergy storage as a new energy infrastructure that shall beintegrated into renewable energy system an also integrateautonomous, distributed and centralized systems together withrenewable energy sources.3
Kazakhstan is not an exception, due to the country'sgeography and climate, the most promising sources of renewableenergy are solar and wind. According to estimates in the Conceptfor the Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex until2030", the total potential of renewable energy sources forenergy production is 1,885 billion kWh; the thermal potential is4.3 GW (Government Decree of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 724,2014)4 . However, with the current structure ofgeneration mainly from the stations fired by coal and gas and thelack of balancing and reserve capacities, the intermittent natureof wind and solar plants puts even more pressure on the reliabilityand stability of the overall power system in Kazakhstan.
Currently, KEGOC, the system operator of unified power system ofKazakhstan, is contemplating the introduction of storagecapacities, which will allow energy to be stored and usedlater.5
Ministry of Ecology of the Republic of Kazakhstan has recentlypresented a draft version of doctrine (strategy) on achievingcarbon neutrality by 2060, which highlights the importance ofenergy storage systems in enabling renewable energy intoconventional energy system for the purposes ofdecarbonization.6
In this article, we focused on regulatory barriers that hinderthe development of energy storage systems in Kazakhstan. Thefollowing review is based on the analysis of both Kazakhstan lawsand international best practices in the field of energy storagesystems.
Regulatory barriers are one of the main stumbling blocks on theway to effective implementation of energy storage system inKazakhstan. Currently, there is no specific regulation or programto support energy storage system in Kazakhstan. In essence, thereis virtually no regulation of ownership, construction and operationof energy storage systems in Kazakhstan. It is recommended toupdate the public policies and regulations to encourage thedeployment of energy storage.
1. Paolo D'Aprile, John Newman, Dickon Pinner, Thenew economics of energy storage, Mckinsey, https://
2. Energy storage for a decarbonized Europe by 2050, https://ease-storage /publication/decarbonised-europe-2050/
4. Concept for the Development of the Fuel and EnergyComplex until 2030, Resolution of the Government of the Republic ofKazakhstan dated June 28, 2014 No. 724
6. Doctrine (strategy) on achieving carbon neutrality by2060, https://legalacts.egov /npa/view?pageComment=2&id=1148821
The content of this article is intended to provide a generalguide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be soughtabout your specific circumstances.
Connecting Knowledge & People
IEA (2022), Kazakhstan 2022, IEA, Paris https://, Licence: CC BY 4.0
The Republic of Kazakhstan is the largest of the former Soviet Republics in Central Asia, as well as the region''s largest energy producer. It is bordered in the north by the Russian Federation (hereafter, "Russia"), in the east by the People''s Republic of China (hereafter, "China"), in the south by Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and in the west by Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea. The country has a land area of 2717300square kilometres (km2), a coastline of 1894kilometres (km) on the Caspian Sea, and a population of 18.7million.
The oil and gas industries and related sectors accounted for 17% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020. Oil provides most of the country''s export earnings and serves as the main source of government revenue.
Oil accounted for over 50% of Kazakhstan''s domestic energy production in 2020. Its second main source of energy production is coal, which accounted for 28%, followed by natural gas (17%).
Kazakhstan''s significant overall energy surplus has remained stable over the last two decades, averaging 230% of the energy supply needed to cover domestic demand. This has allowed Kazakhstan to be a large net exporter of fossil fuels, particularly oil.
Almost one-third of total final energy consumption (TFC) in 2020 was covered by oil (31%), followed by coal (22%), while heat, natural gas and electricity each accounted for around 15%. The residential sector consumed 33% of TFC in 2020, surpassing industry (32%) that year as the largest consuming sector. Transport accounted for 18%, while the remainder (16%) was consumed by services and other sectors.
The 2013 Concept for the Transition to a Green Economy (Green Economy Concept) calls for the country to generate 50% of its electricity by 2050 from "alternative or renewable" sources, which could include nuclear. It also calls for a 15% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in electricity production by 2030, and a 40% reduction by 2050. It envisions achieving these targets by, among other actions, phasing out ageing infrastructure, particularly in the power sector, increasing the use of renewables and alternatives to coal and oil, and promoting energy efficiency. In 2020, the government adopted an Action Plan for implementing the Green Economy Concept.
In 2014, the government approved the Concept for the Development of the Fuel and Energy Complex until 2030, and in June 2020 introduced an amended version of this document. The update provides an overview of the various energy subsectors, including the main issues and broad outlines regarding the government''s plans to address them.
The collection, validation and dissemination of official statistics are the responsibility of the Bureau of National Statistics (BNS). Since 2015, the BNS increasingly has produced data following relevant international methodologies and standards. The Master Plan for Development of the National Statistical System of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2017‑2025 defines priorities for energy statistics.
The first household energy consumption survey was conducted in 2018, and the next one is planned for 2023. Such surveys are essential for obtaining disaggregated information that helps support the development of energy efficiency indicators to track the impacts of energy policies.
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