China powers region's renewable energy

China and Kazakhstan have been stepping up cooperation on renewable energy projects in recent years, aiming to leverage Kazakhstan's vast renewable resources with China's advanced technology and investment capacity.

Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Xinjiang Goldwind Science &Technology Co Ltd said Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, have become some of the company's core markets, with more than 319,000 kilowatts of wind power capacity installed in the region as of the end of the first quarter.

China and Central Asian countries have continued to expand green energy cooperation over the past few years, with a number of cooperation projects completed or under construction, said Gao Jinshan, vice-president of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region-based company.

The company is looking at opportunities to invest in factories in Kazakhstan to achieve local wind turbine manufacturing, as a growing number of Chinese energy companies are stepping up renewable energy investment in the region, Gao said.

An industry expert believes Chinese firms, with their outstanding capabilities in cost control and strong performance in green energy tech advancements, have stood out on the global stage when bidding for overseas projects.

Su Chang, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Central Asian countries are not only rich in traditional energy reserves, but also in renewable energy, with great potential for development.

In recent years, countries in the region have also sought to transition to green, low-carbon economies, while China's technical and management strengths in solar and wind power will further facilitate their transformations, Su said.

Ma Yinqiong, a senior analyst covering metals and supply chain materials at Rystad Energy, said cooperation between China and Central Asia in green energy is a typical "win-win" situation.

"For Central Asia, a region with unique natural conditions to develop solar, wind, hydropower and other forms of green energy — and also enjoying strong demand for renewable power — sufficient technological standards are required," Ma said.

"China, with advantages in technology, management, production and other aspects of the green energy industry, serves as a 'bridge' for Central Asia."

The development of green energy is an inevitable trend, and cooperation between China and Central Asia can greatly promote this process, which has a crucial role in the environmental protection of all participating countries, and even global development, she added.

According to the National Energy Administration, China's installed power generation capacity surged 14.1 percent year-on-year to 3.04 billion kW by the end of May, with installed capacity of solar power soaring 52.2 percent year-on-year to 690 million kW, and wind power rising 20.5 percent to about 460 million kW.

By 2030, the proportion of clean energy generation will exceed 50 percent, and the share of electricity in end-use energy consumption will reach about 34 percent. Power supply will become cleaner, safer, more efficient and smarter, China Huaneng Group Chairman Wen Shugang said earlier.

The 100-megawatt Zhanatas wind farm is one of the first batch of key energy projects under the China-Kazakhstan production capacity cooperation framework. The project was put into operation in June 2021, greatly alleviating power shortages in southern Kazakhstan.

With the largest installed capacity of any project of its kind in Central Asia, the wind power project, comprising a total of 40 turbines, plays an important demonstration role for Kazakhstan's environmental protection efforts, said its operator, State Power Investment Corp.

According to consultancy Rystad Energy, Kazakhstan has been among the top five destination countries for Chinese-made wind turbine exports over the past few years.

Kazakhstan is the best destination to develop wind power in Central Asia given its rich wind resources and substantial potential, said Wang Ziyue, an analyst with BloombergNEF, adding that the trend for domestic developers and turbine makers to jointly build overseas projects has been gaining momentum in recent years.

China has progressed significantly in recent years, primarily driven by long-term efforts to increase the share of clean energy and enhance grid reliability, according to a report jointly released by global consultancy Accenture and the World Economic Forum in June.

In 2023, China also significantly scaled up its renewable energy capacity and continued to grow and invest in its manufacturing capability in clean technologies, such as batteries for electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines and other critical technologies. It is also leading in developing new energy solutions and technologies, said the report.