How much solar power does Kazakhstan have?

In just five short years, solar power capacity has catapulted to 300 megawatts nationwide, and if you add other renewables like wind and hydropower, that number exceeds 700 megawatts, enough power to supply around 200,000 families in Kazakhstan. To understand just how remarkable this is, you have to know the context.

Is Kazakhstan a good place to invest in solar power?

Kazakhstan has remarkable solar potential with a very well-designed auction system, a clear renewable capacity addition schedule, and a solid decarbonisation target. The country is now also including storage systems as part of its public procurement strategy in a move that will ease further integration of renewables into the grid.

Will solar power meet the highest electricity demand in Kazakhstan?

Solar power generation in renewables energy is expected to meet the highest electricity demand on Kazakhstan's power grid. As of 2018, the solar power generation was 0.1 TWh and the installed capacity was 209 MW. Indian solar PV EPC Company Sterling and Wilson expects to have 200 MW of capacity in Kazakh solar market by end of 2020.

Where is Kazakhstan's new solar power plant located?

A few months later, the EBRD loaned another $42.5 million toward a $75 million 63 MW solar photovoltaic power plant that Risen is building in Chulakkurgan, north of Shymkent. China, which now produces 70 percent of the world’s solar panels, is well represented in Kazakhstan’s new renewable projects, but it is not the only player.

How many MW of solar capacity in Kazakhstan by 2020?

Indian solar PV EPC Company Sterling and Wilson expects to have 200 MW of capacity in Kazakh solar market by end of 2020. METKA EGN have signed Engineering, Construction & Procurement contracts, with Total Eren, for two photovoltaic projects in Kazakhstan, totaling a capacity of 128 MWp.

Can solar power drive Kazakhstan's Energy Transition?

However, Kazakhstan’s solar ambitions do not fully tap into its potential, and the technology could play a far larger role in the country’s energy transition due to its low cost and flexibility. The focus now is on leveraging solar’s comparative advantages to drive forward Kazakhstan’s decarbonisation and harness its significant solar resources.