Kazakhstan, France ink MoU to develop solar energy cooperation
By Aynur Jafarova
Kazakhstan and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop cooperation in the solar energy field.
"The MoU was signed by the representatives of Kazakh Oil and Gas Ministry, French company Total and SunPower, a company engaged in solar energy industry," the ministry said on April 17.
"The document calls for the implementation of the unique C7 project in Astana on the basis of the latest solar energy technologies," the ministry said.
The project based on C7, the latest product of SunPower, will be implemented in 2014-2016 in the Nazarbayev University's territory with direct participation of experts.
The project's accomplishment can create opportunities for implementing larger projects for construction of industrial-scale solar power plants and opening joint ventures.
Total is one of the world's largest oil and gas companies, carrying out extensive research and developing alternative energy sources.
Renewable energy, commonly called alternative energy, is an alternative to fossil fuels, and comes from natural sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished.
Experts believe that Kazakhstan has to turn to alternative energy sources by 2030, as the traditional sources are being exhausted and their prices are on the rise. They say about 20-30 percent of the domestically consumed energy can be saved by using alternative energy.
Kazakhstan viewed by the CIS countries as a promising market for wind and solar energy plans to commission more than 30 renewable energy facilities by 2020.
The share of alternative and renewable energy in the energy basket of Kazakhstan will reach 50 percent by 2050. Today, about 85 percent of Kazakhstan's electricity comes from coal-fired power plants and close to 9 percent from hydroelectric power plants.