Kazakhstan to Continue Green Energy Development Regardless of Oil Prices

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, September 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Kazakhstan will continue the active development of renewable energy in the decades to come regardless of oil prices, said Kanat Bozumbayev, the Kazakhstani Minister of Energy, at the Future Energy Forum in Astana.

The Minister emphasized that the Kazakhstani government started to develop green energy when oil prices were at USD 120 per barrel and it would continue its efforts, even if prices fell to USD 20 per barrel.

"Kazakhstan will be gradually integrating renewable energy sources into the national energy mix until 2020. From 2020 through 2030, the country will be following a more active approach. To achieve this, we have created a regulatory framework, clear indicators that will help us monitor the development of the state planning system and technical instruments to gauge the potential," said Mr. Bozumbayev.

"The Republic already has 48 operating renewable energy facilities with a total capacity of 252.37 MW (hydroelectric power plants - 122.99 MW; wind power plants - 71.87 MW; solar power plants - 57.16 MW; biogas units - 0.35 MW) generating 0.94% of the electric energy produced in Kazakhstan," added another Forum participant, Magzum Mirzagaliev, the Deputy Energy Minister of Kazakhstan. By 2020, the Republic's authorities intend to commission 23 solar power plants, about 20 wind power plants, over 10 hydroelectric power plants and a number of mini hydroelectric power plants.

According to the Ministry of Energy, Kazakhstan has determined its contribution to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from 2021 through 2030: 15% as an absolute target and 25% as a hypothetical target by 2030 as against 1990.

Moreover, by 2020, the volume of gas production will reach approximately 65 billion cubic meters a year. This year, production is estimated at about 43 billion cubic meters.

"Besides boosting the export of gas, an increase in production will enable us to utilize gas in the domestic market more actively and to develop gas-fired generation instead of coal-based technologies. This will help lower the environmental impact of the national energy system and reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere," stressed Mr. Bozumbayev.

The International Specialized Exhibition EXPO-2017 with the theme "Future Energy" that will take place next year in Astana is one of the most important projects under the national program for the development of green energy. The Chairman of the Board of National Company Astana EXPO-2017, Akhmetzhan Yessimov, who also gave a speech at the Forum, pointed out that "EXPO-2017 has a crucial scientific and political role to play in the creation of a new green model of the world economy."

"To date, 103 countries and 17 international organizations have confirmed their participation in the exhibition. The construction is going according to schedule: we have already completed 85% of works. Over 13,700 people and 560 equipment units are involved in the construction process," he stated.

About Astana EXPO-2017 

The International Specialized Exhibition Astana EXPO-2017 dedicated to Future Energy is an expositional and recreational event that will take place between 10 June and 10 September 2017 in Astana. The exhibition will last 93 days and will be one of the most spectacular cultural venues in 2017. The exhibition is expected to include about 3000 themed, cultural and entertainment events. Overall, the event expects 5 million visits. As part of Astana EXPO-2017, global policy documents will be drafted in order to promote an energy-efficient lifestyle and wide use of renewable energy sources.

National Company Astana EXPO-2017