In Abu Dhabi Kanat Bozumbayev urged investors to take part in renewable energy auctions in Kazakhstan
Speaking at the plenary session, the Energy Minister noted that Kazakhstan is in the process of transition from one of the world's leading producers of hydrocarbon energy to the "green" economy model.
"The country has approved the Concept on transition of Kazakhstan to the "green economy", within the framework of which, with the purpose of the planned development of the renewable energy sector, it is planned to increase the share of the RES in the country's energy balance from the current 1% to 3% in 2020, to 10% in 2030, and up to 50% in 2050", K. Bozumbayev said.
According to the Minister, the renewable energy support mechanisms adopted in 2009 allowed the planned launch of the RES market and implemented 55 projects with a total capacity of 335.7 MW.
"Starting from this year, we are planning to hold the first auctions of the RES on the total installed capacity of 1 GW. Taking this opportunity, I invite investors, foundations and financial institutions to participate in the renewable energy auctions in Kazakhstan. For my part, I want to assure that the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan will provide a transparent, impartial process for selecting the winners of the auctions, and it will provide the comprehensive support to the winners both at the stage of concluding a PPA contract and at all stages of projects’ implementation", the Minister said.
Also on the sidelines of the Assembly session the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the French "URBASOLAR" signed an agreement to support the "Zadariya" project for the construction of a solar power plant (14 MW) in the city of Arys in South Kazakhstan region.
The new "Zadariya" SPP will add 14 megawatts of capacity to the generate solar energy into Kazakhstan's energy balance, as a result of which the total installed capacity of the existing and planned renewable energy generators should reach 365 megawatts.
The EBRD will provide a loan of up to 8.8 million dollars for the construction of a SPP near Shymkent in South Kazakhstan region, and the Clean Technology Fund will provide the concessional financing of up to 3.9 million dollars. The project will be implemented by a special project company - "Kaz Green Tek Solar" LLP.
"Today we’ve signed an agreement with Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev to support this project only six months after the signing of an agreement on the previous project at the opening of EXPO 2017 in Astana, which demonstrates the country's desire to actively develop the renewable energy sector", Managing Director for Energy and Natural Resources at the EBRD Nandita Parshad said after signing the agreement.
On January 13-14, within the framework of the session of the IRENA Assembly, ministerial round tables were organized: "Global accelerator of energy transformation: large-scale investment in renewable energy", "Innovations for energy transformation: E-mobility".
A separate meeting of K. Bozumbayev with Minister of Energy and Industry of the United Arab Emirates Suhail al-Mazrouei and Chief Executive Officer of Petroleum & Petrochemicals of the state investment company "Mubadala Investment Company" and member of the Supervisory Board of "Borealis AG" Mr. Musabbeh al-Kaabi also took place.
During the 8th session of the IRENA Assembly, a possibility of participating in the VI cycle of financing the ADFD/IRENA projects was discussed.
The Kazakhstan delegation also intends to take part in the opening ceremony of the 11th World Summit "Future Energy" and awarding the International Prize "Zayed Future Energy Prize", within which the international exhibition and the Kazakhstan pavilion will be attended in Abu Dhabi on the 15th of January.
