According to a report According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, the wind farm in southern Kazakhstan near the city of Zhanatas is an example of how the Belt and Road initiative is transforming the energy supply of the country. Kazakhstan. The Belt and Road Initiative, launched by China in 2013, is a global infrastructure project involving more than 70 countries around the world.

Construction on the plant began in 2019. The fact that the pandemic did not slow down the project marked a laudable achievement, said Guo Qiang, general manager of the plant.

The wind farm has a capacity of 100 megawatts. In addition, it will supply 1 million homes with clean electricity when the 40 wind turbines are put into service.

Each turbine tower weighs over 300 tonnes and is nearly 150 meters high, comparable to a 50-story building.

For comparison, the Chinese news agency said the 60-meter-long blades cover an area as large as the London Eye. In addition, when fully operational, it will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by almost 300,000 tonnes per year.

China Power International Holding and Kazakhstan visor are shareholders of the plant. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Almaty) and the Green Climate Fund are the co-financiers.

Focus on renewables

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have bet heavily on renewable energies. In doing so, they rely heavily on the Chinese.

Earlier this year, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said the country aims to increase its share of green energy to 15% of the country’s total electricity consumption by 2030.

In addition, both countries are also relying heavily on solar energy.

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Their neighbor, China, the world’s largest producer of solar panels, has more than welcomed the move.

According to a recent UN report, Kazakhstan has more than 85% of the total solar potential of Central Asia.

By 2017, as China’s domestic solar capacity exceeded demand, Beijing offered a 1 MW solar power plant in Kazakhstan as a gift near Almaty in 2018, according to Eurasianet. The aim, according to the report, was to encourage Kazakhstan to look east for its green energy needs.

The Chinese bet has worked.

As of June 2018, based in Ningbo Risen energy started to work on a $ 39 million 40 MW solar photovoltaic power plant in Karaganda.

China produces 70% of the solar panels in the world. However, China is not the only player in the region.

One of Kazakhstan’s largest solar projects – a 100 MW field in Saran in Karaganda province – is the work of a German company. In addition, Russia is a player in this region in renewable energy projects.

By AG Metal Miner

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