Kazakhstan

Country Profile

(.pdf file - 398 kB)

1. Overview

2. Policy and Incentives

3. Wind

4. Biomass

5. Solar

6. Geothermal

7. Hydroelectric

8. Links

9. References

10. Country Contacts

Kazakhstan's total installed power-generating capacity is 16.9 gigawatts (GW), although actual capacity is substantially less due to poor maintenance and obsolete equipment. In 2004, Kazakh power generation was approximately 66.2 billion kilowatt-hours (BkWh).

Around 80 percent of the country's power generation comes from coal-fired plants, mostly concentrated in the north of the country close to the coal-producing regions of Karaganda and Ekibastuz. The remainder is generated by hydroelectric plants, mainly on the Irtysh river in the north-eastern part of the country.  In Kazakhstan, the centralization process during the 1980s led to the closure of more than 600 small hydro power plants.

Significant generation capacity exists in Kazakhstan.  However, deterioration of the system throughout the 90’s owing to a lack of economic growth and a lack of consistent maintenance has left the actual output far below the potential for the electric system.

Through the decline in demand throughout the 1990’s the generation capacity was able to meet demand, at least in the latter part of the decade. However, the current structure of the electricity grid requires that Kazakhstan import power in some regions, while exporting in others. The electricity grid is divided into a northern half, linking the Russian and Central Asian Networks, and a southern half, with links to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Due to this arrangement Kazakhstan has built up a sizable debt in the range of $250 million from electricity imports from Russia.

Kazakhstan has large reserves of exploitable coal, oil, and gas, and it therefore is expected that the energy sector will play a significant role in the economic development of the country. However, Kazakhstan has electricity deficits that have to be covered by imports from Russia in the north and from other Central Asian countries in the south. The size of Kazakhstan and its geography (the country is divided into north and south by a central desert region), together with the concentration of coal deposits in the north, means that the country must make large investments in its transmission systems, which is the source of high losses and low reliability. The power sector needs considerable rehabilitation and serious upgrading if the country is to decrease its heavy reliance on electricity imports.

The main motivating factors for renewable energy development in Kazakhstan include the need to:

·          replace imports of electricity, especially in the southern region

·          extend access to electricity to the country’s remote and nomadic populations

·          protect the country’s delicate ecosystem by reducing the dependence of the electricity generation system on coal (presently at 85 percent)

·          reduce line losses and improve stability and reliability by installing dispersed and end-of-line generation stations that use RE resources.

Kazakhstan Country Summary Table

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Kazakhstan has continued the process of ratifying the Kyoto Protocol and obtaining the status of Annex 1 country, which will serve as a legal basis for participation in all the mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol and attracting external funds and new technologies including renewable energy sources. 

One of the priority directions of developing energy and addressing environmental problems of Kazakhstan is the use of renewable energy sources. The potential of renewable energy resources (hydropower, solar and  wind) in Kazakhstan is rather significant. The potential of hydropower is estimated at about 170 billion kilowatt-hours per year, 62 billion kilowatt-hours can be used from a technical point of view, 27 billion kilowatt-hours can be used from a financial point of view, and only about 8 billion kilowatt-hours are used now.

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Kazakhstan possesses enormous potential of wind energy, especially in the Djungar Gates and Sheleksky Corridor in Almaty oblast. Proximity of existing energy-transmission lines, good correlation of wind season with energy demand, as well as the local market of energy demand, make the potential of developing these energy resources in the Djungar Gates and Sheleksky Corridor favorable. It should be noted that almost the entire territory of Kazakhstan is good for installation of wind-power stations.

Kazakhstan is the leader in the region in terms of wind energy resources per person. The wind potential of the mountain pass to China, the Jungar Gates, by itself can provide about 1.3 trillion kWh of electric energy per year.  A country wide wind-atlas is available. More than 50 percent of the area of Kazakhstan is rated at 4 - 5 m/s at 30m, two very large areas show wind speeds between 4 - 5 m/s and some areas at the shores of Caspian see in excess of 6 m/s.

Small wind turbines up to 4 kW capacity have been tested in a test yard in the area of Astana. WindEnergo has been negotiating for water pimping turbines in Kazakhstan. Outcome of these negotiations are unknown. There are no commercial-operation wind power generation plants.

The Government of Kazakhstan has adopted “The Program of Wind Power Development till 2030” which defined non-conventional power development as one of the priority profiles.  Japan's Electric Power Development Co (EPDC), has announced start of wind measurements

Kazakhstan has very good potential for wind energy development.  Additionally, Southern Kazakhstan is rapidly developing and short of power. Because of the oil and gas industry, the infrastructure also exists to export wind generated electricity to China, specifically to Xing Jiang in the Uigar Autonomous Region. Power needs in that area of China are apparently growing by 10 percent annually. Estimates are that it would need 19.5 billion kWh in 2000, and 100 billion kWh by 2010. Kuat Holding of Almaty claims that an unnamed party in China is already willing to buy power for $0.035-$0.05/kWh.

The most promising sites for wind power development are as follows:

·          South-eastern part of the country; Djungar gate – a wide-gap south from the Alakol lake to the border with China,  the Chu-Iliysky mountains in the area of the town of Astana, Tien-Shan off spurs (Karatau ridge) in the area of Jambul.

·          Western part of the country-   The Urals southern off spurs (Mugojar mountains). Caspian zone – Mangyshlak peninsula.

·          Central part of the country, The Alytau mountains

Wind atlas of Kazakhstan

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The area of Republic occupied by forests constitutes more than 10 million hectares that represents 4 percent from the overall territory of country, from which 4.7 million hectares are covered by saxaul. In 1990 the volumes of logging in forests of the country made up about 3 million clear m3 per year. The timber wastes at felling areas and wood processing at woodworking factories, as well as the wood, which is used as firewood, makes up almost 1.3 million clear m3 or 1 million tons. Thus, the energy potential of timber waste comprises more than 200 thousand toe.

A straw of cereal crops is the most significant renewable energy resource of Kazakhstan. In 1990 the production of straw makes up almost 37 million tons. If 20 percent from this amount could be assumed for using in energy purposes, this amount will make up almost 7.5 million t of straw. Then the straw energy potential in the country will comprise almost 2.5 million toe.

The most prospective projects for using biomass for energy purposes are connected with straw.

Kazakhstan Biomass Resource Data

Biomass resource type	Total production	Production density
Percent of total land area covered by
Forests	2%
Shrublands, savanna, and grasslands	61%
Cropland and crop/natural vegetation mosaic	29%
Urban and built-up areas	0%
Sparse or barren vegetation; snow and ice	4%
Wetlands and water bodies	3%
Primary crop production, tonne	(avg. 1999-2001, tonne)	(tonne /1000 Ha)
Total primary crops (rank among COO)	58,576,272  (4)	217  (26)
Top 10 primary crops
Mixed Grasses, Legumes	39,000,000	144
Wheat	11,075,133	41
Barley	2,086,167	8
Potatoes	1,662,433	6
Maize for Forage & Silage	883,333	3
Watermelons	413,733	2
Tomatoes	371,877	1
Onions, Dry	353,667	1
Seed Cotton	318,847	1
Sugar Beets	282,200	1
Animal units, number	(number)	(number / 1000 Ha)
Cattle	3,978,050	15
Poultry	17,504,000	65
Pigs	938,000	3
Equivalent animal units	4,528,290	17
Annual roundwood production	(1996-98, 000 m3)	(m3 / Ha)
Total	315	1.2
Fuel	315	1.2
Industrial	NA	NA
Wood-based panels	NA	NA
	(1996-98, 000 metric tons)	(metric tons / Ha)
Paper and paperboard	0	0.0
Recovered paper	1	0.0

Another preferred direction is the use of biogas produced from the wastes of agricultural livestock and poultry, at agricultural enterprises and with individual farm applications.

There is a large number of heads of agricultural livestock and poultry in Kazakhstan.  In 1990 the total amount of cattle was over 9.8 million heads, over 36.6 million heads of sheep and goat, 3.0 million heads of pigs, 1.7 million heads of horses, 14 million heads of camel, and over 59.8 million heads of poultry.  .

Potential resources of methane produced from cattle waste constitute more than 85 thousand tonnes, or more than 52 thousand toe.

Potential resources of methane formed after the treatment of sewage of communal utilities make up about 3 thousand tonnes or almost 1.8 thousand toe.

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The solar energy resource potential is quite great for the vast territory of the largest Central Asian Republic. The number of sunny days is 2200-3000 hours per year, and the energy of solar radiation is 1300-1800 kW/m²/year.  Despite the very favorable conditions for solar energy, there is little use of the resource.

The maps of annual incidence of solar radiation in Kazakhstan are presented in figures below.  These maps are a part of general maps of annual incidence of solar radiation of the former USSR. The information about solar radiation incidence in Kazakhstan presented in the figures are supplemented in tables with the data on monthly and annual incidence of solar radiation in three points: Fort Shevchenko (at the coast of Caspian Sea), Aral Sea (near the Aral coast) and Alma-Ata (at Southeast of the country).

Annual total solar radiation incident on horizontal surface, MJ/m2

	Shevchenko	Aral Sea	Alma-Ata
Jan	157	198	178
Feb	230	307	234
Mar	387	473	363
Apr	551	616	491
May	724	820	656
Jun	749