Press releases
Modern trends in clean energy development
October 1, 2015, Astana
Participants of the Program Session “Modern trends in clean energy development” organized jointly with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) as part of the jubilee X KAZENERGY Eurasian Forum discussed topical issues of renewable energy sources.
Is the State ready to continue to support such projects in a crisis (the Governments of Italy, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Romania, Czech Republic, Bulgaria have already taken the decision to reduce the volume of subsidizing renewable energy projects)? What are the prospects of “green technologies” and renewable energy sources in the future? Will Kazakhstan be able to become a leader in development of renewable energy sources in the region? These and other important issues were discussed by Almasadam Satkaliyev, Chairman of the Board of JSC “Samruk-Energy”, Mohamed El-Farnawany, Director of Strategic Planning Department, Chief of IRENA Staff, Bakhytzhan Dzhaksaliyev, Vice-Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mohamed Moussa Omran, First Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy of Egypt, Levon Shahverdyan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia, John Woods, Vice-President of Minas Energy (Canada), Deger Saygin, Program Coordinator – RES Road Maps of the IRENA Center for Innovations and Technologies and Nigel Jolands, Senior Manager on Political Affairs of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Kazakhstan is implementing investment projects in the electric power industry in order to cover the deficit of electric power and provide new opportunities for socio-economic development of regions. By 2030, investments in energy generation in the country are estimated at $ 54 billion in case of implementing the basic scenario of the industry development and at $ 36.5 billion in case of the conservative scenario.
Atomic energetics stars a new stage of development after nearly 60 years of its functioning. Some countries following the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant scaled down their nuclear programs, while others (such as Russia and Kazakhstan), on the other hand, started to work actively to promote the idea of nuclear power plants and implement the project of construction of a nuclear power plant in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In addition, solar and wind power plants, small hydropower plants are being commissioned in our country. Kazakhstan prepares to host international specialized exhibition EXPO 2017 “Future Energy”.
However, due to problems in the global economy, investments in renewable energy sources are reducingthroughout the entire world. Investors again focus their attention on the traditional energy assets. Therefore, Kazakhstan should soberly assess the risks that come with excessive enthusiasm of alternative energetics. Moreover, it should be considered that the “green” electricity is not a cheap pleasure. So far manufacturers of “green” electricity are surviving thanks to a favorable tax regimes, tariff preferences and direct government subsidies.
More information about the Forum program can be found here: http://kazenergyforum.com