Development of renewable energy is likely to become Kazakhstan's competitive edge - N.Kapparov
In his today's speech at Astana-hosted investment forum "Renewable Energy in Kazakhstan", N.Kapparov noted that establishment of the renewable energy sector would contribute to the advancement of research and development in Kazakhstan as well as emergence of new high-skilled jobs.
"For example, in Germany, 368,000 people are employed in the RES sector. Kazakhstan will also develop a new industry. In the future, we presume, other CIS countries will follow the green path of development, and Kazakhstan starting this work now will have a competitive advantage, " - N.Kapparov said .
The minister underscores that by 2050 Kazakhstan plans to get about 50 % of its electricity from renewable and alternative sources.
"More than 40 % of these 50 % will account for the solar, wind, biomass energy and so on, and just under 10% will be given by the atom" - N.Kapparov continued.
By 2030, Kazakhstan seeks to increase the share of electricity generated from renewable and alternative sources to 30%.
"We'll begin with 3% in 2020, because we want to adapt these technologies," - N.Kapparov added.
The minister described Kazakhstan's initiative on the development of the green economy and renewable energy as very timely; due to active development of renewable energy throughout the world, the technologies in this field will become available and affordable pretty soon.
According to N.Kapparov, a tariff for electricity generated by wind stations in 2014 is planned to be 19 tenge per kilowatt. "It is approximately 9.5 eurocents per kilowatt," - the minister explained.
Electricity generated by solar stations will be around 29 tenge or 14.5 eurocents per kilowatt, tariff for small hydropower plants - about 14 tenge or about 7 eurocents per kilowatt, for biogas plants - 27 tenge or about 13.5 eurocents per kilowatt.
"These rates are under discussion in the Government, they haven't been approved yet," - Kapparov warns. He also draws attention to the fact that electricity generated by renewable sources is now more costly that that produced traditionally, but soon the situation will change fundamentally, the minister assures, because the government will take all necessary measures to ensure affordability of tariffs for electricity generated by renewable sources for the population.