Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Large international investors are increasingly developing wind energy projects in Kazakhstan, with some planned wind farms reaching capacities of up to 1 GW each. Each of these projects is also expected to include large-scale energy storage systems with a capacity of around 300 MW, AzerNEWS reports.

These storage systems are designed to capture electricity generated by wind and solar power plants and release it during periods of peak demand, helping to stabilize the power grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

In addition, two pumped-storage hydropower projects are currently under development in the Almaty region. These facilities function like giant “energy batteries”: when electricity supply exceeds demand, water is pumped into upper reservoirs, and during peak consumption hours it is released through turbines to generate electricity.

A notable trend behind these projects is Kazakhstan’s effort to modernize its energy system and integrate more renewables into its traditionally coal-heavy grid. The country has abundant wind potential, especially in the steppes of the north and east, which makes it attractive for large-scale clean energy investment.

Interestingly, engineers note that combining wind farms with battery storage and pumped hydro could make Kazakhstan one of the key renewable “balancing hubs” in Central Asia, allowing it not only to meet domestic demand but potentially export more stable electricity to neighboring countries in the future.