Abu Dhabi, UAE -: Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, also called, Masdar signed on Sunday an agreement for developing up to 1 gigawatt (GW) wind power plant in Kazakhstan to support the country’s goal of achieving half its energy mix from renewables by 2050.
The Central Asian country is a key strategic market for Masdar, the UAE’s flagship renewable energy company, which has been steadily investing in the region in recent years.
The roadmap for developing the up to 1 GW wind project, with a battery energy storage system (BEES), was signed by four partners on the sidelines of the Astana International Forum.
Kazakhstan aims to become carbon neutral by 2060 and is targeting renewable electricity generation of 50 percent by 2050. The up to 1 GW wind farm, with BESS, is Masdar’s first project in the country. In addition to the roadmap, Samruk-Kazyna and Masdar signed a collaboration agreement for the project. The roadmap signing builds upon an earlier agreement secured between Masdar and its Kazakh partners during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2023.
Abundant in wind and sunshine, the Central Asian region is a strategic market for Masdar. In April 2023, Masdar reached financial close on three solar power projects in Uzbekistan with a combined capacity of around 900 MW. Once operational, the plants will generate enough electricity to power over one million homes and displace over one million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, making it the region’s largest solar power program.
In Azerbaijan, Masdar is developing the 230 MW Garadag solar power plant and has signed agreements for onshore wind and solar projects, and integrated offshore wind and green hydrogen projects, with a total combined capacity of 4 GW.
Established in 2006, Masdar is the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse. It is active in more than 40 countries and has invested in a portfolio of renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of more than 20 GW. Masdar is committed to achieving at least 100 GW of total renewable energy capacity by 2030.