Kazakhstan’s government announces 12 MW large-scale solar project
The country’s second MW-sized solar project is being planned by French company ECM Technologies in cooperation with unspecified Chinese partners.
The government of Kazakhstan has announced that a 12 MW PV plant will be built in Shetpe, in the Mangystau Region. The project is being developed by French industrial vacuum furnace manufacturer ECM Technologies, which also serves the PV industry, in partnership with unnamed Chinese partners.
According to the government’s portal www.strategy2050.kz, the project will involve Kazakhstan, France and China and will require an investment of approximately $20 million. A protocol of intention for the project was signed by the Energy and Housing and Communal Services Department of Mangystau region and the French company, the government added.
“The technology will be met by the French company, the Chinese company – for construction and investments,” said the Kazakh government in its statement.
The project is currently the second large-scale PV plant under development in the country. In August 2016, the EBRD released financing of $26 million to Indian solar developer ACME Cleantech Solutions for the development of a 29 MW solar PV plant in Kazakhstan. The proposed Kulan solar power plant is to be located in Kazakhstan'’s Zhambyl region, in the south of the country.
In late 2016, however, Kazakh Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev said he was planning to introduce an auction scheme for renewable energy, after several failed attempts at introducing a FIT program made by the country’s government over the previous years.
In mid-May, the ministry also announced the launch of Solar Resources Atlas – atlassolar.kz, a new online application for the mapping of Kazakhstan solar energy potential. The web-based resource contains open data of space distribution of Kazakhstan’s solar resources, which reflect the constantly updated international climatic bases
