ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES is one of the main sections of Power Kazakhstan and includes:
- bio energy;
- wind power;
- hydrogen power;
- geothermal power;
- hydropower;
- solar power;
Kazakhstan possesses significant resources of renewable power: hydropower, solar power, wind power, and biomasses. However, these resources are not widely used, except for hydropower. Production of electrical power and heating is the main fuel consumer in Kazakhstan. Every year, this sector consumes about 30 million tons of fuel. Coal makes the major share in the fuel balance of power stations, with about 75%, while the share of natural gas is 23%, and that of fuel-oil, 2%.
Despite current generating capacities, there is lack of electrical power production. The total rated capacity of power stations is about 18,700 MW. However, the current generating capacities have a long lifetime (25 years or more). The available capacity is about 14,600 MW. In the structure of generating capacities, heating stations make up 15.42 MW or 87% of the total capacity. The share of hydro stations is about 12%, and the others, about 1%.
Due to extensive depreciation of fixed assets, significant investments will be required for construction of new power stations to meet the power demand. In 2007, the Government of Kazakhstan approved the Plan on Development of the Electrical Power Industry in Kazakhstan until 2015. This Plan includes commissioning of new facilities (5,598 MW) by 2015, including 4,250 MW of coal-operated facilities.
Considering the current location of power facilities, lack of electrical power will remain in all regions except for the northern area with surplus power as it has about 60% of all generating capacities.
The concept on transition of Kazakhstan towards a sustainable development for 2007-2024, approved by OrderNo. 216 of the President of Kazakhstan on November 14, 2006, specifies that a sustainable economic development of Kazakhstan will utilise support for environment-friendly and effective power production, including use of renewable sources and recycled materials.
Laws of Kazakhstan On Electrical Power and On Energy Saving mention the need to develop and use renewable energy sources. However, they do not offer any direct measures to support renewable energy sources.
The 2007-2009 Action Plan for the concept on transition of Kazakhstan towards a sustainable development for 2007-2024 includes legislative upgrades on sustainable development issues, renewable and alternative energy sources. In this respect, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Environment Protection, the MEMR and the UNDP project on wind power drafted a bill On Support for Use of Renewable Energy Sources.
Active work is currently being done on the development of using renewable energy sources. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Kazakhstan and UN Development Programme “Kazakhstan – Wind Power Market Development Initiative” developed a draft of the National Programme on Development of the Wind Power until 2015, with extension until 2024 (DRAFT). The National Programme on Development of the Wind Power aims to involve significant wind power resources in the country’s power balance and thus support the plans to reduce energy intensiveness of the national economy and increase the share of alternative energy sources in the total power balance of the country up to 5% by 2024, as well as stabilise greenhouse gas discharges to meet the 1990 level.
The goal of the Programme is use of Kazakhstan’s wind power potential to produce electrical power totalling 900 million kWh per year by 2015, and 5 billion kWh by 2024, as set out by the concept on transition of Kazakhstan towards a sustainable development for 2007-2024 and the strategy of industrial and innovative development of Kazakhstan for 2003-2015, in order to preserve natural resources and protect the environment.
