Global renewables player Masdar will develop a 1GW project pipeline in Kyrgyzstan in the latest inroad into Central Asian green energy by the Abu Dhabi developer and its regional neighbours.
Masdar’s Kyrgyzstan foray will begin with a 200MW solar PV plant that's due in service by 2026 as part of a build-out plan that could also include floating PV plants and hydropower, the developer said as it announced an implementation agreement with the nation’s government.
Masdar CEO Mohammed Jameel Al Ramahi said: “Masdar has considerable experience in Central Asia and we will leverage our expertise to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s clean energy objectives. Kyrgyzstan is blessed with abundant solar resources and we see this 200MW plant being the first of a number of projects that will support the nation’s goals on emissions reductions, while increasing clean energy access and security.”
Kyrgyzstan’s energy minister said the nation currently faces “challenges meeting the significant demand for electricity from all categories of consumers with our existing resources”. The Central Asian republic is already 90% supplied by clean energy, but that mostly comes from ageing hydropower plants, said Masdar, which cited solar’s excellent potential as a replacement.
The Kyrgyzstan agreement is the latest struck in Central Asia by Masdar or other Middle East energy groups.
The Abu Dhabi developer – which has an overall target to build 100GW of renewables by 2030, among the most ambitious globally – last year reached financial close on a 500MW wind farm in Uzbekistan and signed a deal eyeing potential huge offshore wind and green hydrogen developments in Azerbaijan.
Saudi Arabian peer ACWA Power has also been active in the region with plans for massive wind farm developments.
