Renewable energy in Kazakhstan rises in the shadow of fossil fuels
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Renewable energy in Kazakhstan rises in the shadow of fossil fuels By Eva Karatairi Feature Editors: Luis R. Rojas-Solórzano and Aiymgul Kerimray
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uture Energy was the theme of the World Expo held in 2017 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. It was chosen by the host country to highlight their wish to lead renewable development in Central Asia and source 50% of its total energy consumption from alternative and renewable energy by 2050. The plan is ambitious: The relatively young state, which declared its independence from the USSR in 1991, is blessed—and cursed—with rich coal, oil, and gas resources, which have contributed to a high rate of economic growth. Furthermore, Kazakhstan has a 40 year reserves-to-production ratio for oil, 35 years for gas, and 150 years for coal. Therefore, electricity is generated mainly from burning fossil fuels, which is not only a relatively inexpensive form of power generation, but also the most established one for industrial and domestic use. In
fact, many rural households in the poorer regions still use coal for heating purposes. Thus, it comes as no surprise that about 75% of the country’s electricity demand is still covered by coal, while renewables represent less than 1% of all power generation, excluding hydropower, which has a share of around 10% in the power mix. The country reported CO2 emissions (from the burning of fossil fuels and cement manufacture) at ~14 metric tons per capita in 2014, a number that placed it 18th in a list of countries where Qatar leads with 45.4 metric tons, Saudi Arabia and the United States have 19.5 and 16.6 metric tons, respectively, followed by Germany (8.9), and China (7.5). Along with an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 1991, economic growth has brought a steady increase in electricity consumption. As a result, the energy sector is facing big challenges: Aging coal-fired plants and inefficient power transmission networks, combined with lack of maintenance and investment, are causing losses and occasional shortages in the electricity supply. Adopting renewable energy technologies can help the country to reduce its GHG emissions. It ensures additional generating capacity and reduces electricity imports and power network losses. Kazakhstan’s landscape and climate, with windblown steppes occupying almost one-third of its northern and central territory and the sun shining between 2000 and 3000 hours each year, seem to enforce the idea that the country has a huge potential for solar and wind power. Thus, Kazakhstan’s government set out to increase the share of renewable sources in the electric mix, from the current 1%, to 3% by 2020, 30% by 2030, and 50% by 2050, according to the “Kazakhstan Strategy—2050” that was introduced in 2012. This year, the ministry of energy stated that ~114 MW from alternative sources was produced in 2017, which was 22% more than in the previous year. The plan for 2018 is ~310 MW.
To achieve its short- and long-term goals, Kazakhstan will need a lot more than wind and sun. For example, Germany, o
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