BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 9. Turkmenistan’s energy sector has always been the bread and butter of its national economy, and it continues to hold the fort. With a treasure trove of natural gas reserves totaling around 19 trillion cubic meters, the country is a linchpin in the global energy market.
However, today’s world brings up new challenges: states must not only keep up stable supplies of traditional resources but also step up efforts to develop alternative energy and mix up export routes.
The recent two-day seminar, “Applying Best International Practices for a Sustainable Energy Transition and the Development of Renewable Energy Sources in Turkmenistan,” convened on September 4-5, 2025, at the United Nations facility in Ashgabat, served to reaffirm the course's objectives. Within this framework, a pivotal initiative—the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) energy corridor—has emerged as a cornerstone of Turkmenistan’s energy paradigm.
The economic metamorphosis in Turkmenistan represents a multifaceted yet imperative endeavor. The regulatory bodies acknowledge that notwithstanding its copious reserves of natural gas, the trajectory forward necessitates a strategic diversification approach. This entails not merely the exploration of novel markets for natural gas but also the proactive deployment of alternative energy paradigms.
The TAP project transcends the conventional paradigm of a power transmission line; it represents a pivotal initiative engineered to recalibrate the regional energy ecosystem. The principal objective is to establish a high-capacity transmission corridor for the exportation of surplus electrical energy produced in Turkmenistan, facilitating its transit to Afghanistan and subsequently to Pakistan. The initial phase of the initiative delineates the establishment of a 220 kV transmission corridor designed to facilitate consistent throughput of excess capacity from the Mary Hydropower Facility
Strategic initiatives are increasingly audacious: within the framework of the TAP-500 project, efforts are currently focused on the development of a 500 kV transmission infrastructure that will markedly enhance export capacities and enable Turkmenistan to fortify its status as a preeminent electricity provider in the region. This corridor not only mitigates energy deficits in adjacent nations but also catalyzes market expansion for Turkmenistan, thereby enhancing its geopolitical significance on the global platform.
The execution of TAP is a real game changer, packing a punch in both geopolitical and economic arenas. For Afghanistan and Pakistan, this initiative represents a critical vector for ensuring sustainable energy access, which is imperative for catalyzing industrial growth, enhancing agricultural productivity, and elevating socio-economic living conditions. For Turkmenistan, this represents a strategic maneuver towards enhanced synergies within the regional economic framework and a multifaceted approach to the diversification of export trajectories. The successful execution of this initiative will signify a pivotal benchmark in the establishment of an integrated energy infrastructure for the Central and South Asian regions. Capitalization for these extensive undertakings is anticipated to incorporate avant-garde financial instruments like eco-friendly bonds and synergistic public-private collaboration frameworks, thereby drawing in investment while diversifying risk exposure.
In conjunction with the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) energy corridor, Turkmenistan is strategically advancing its domestic energy landscape, encompassing a diverse array of renewable energy sources (RES). In recent years, over 24,000 kilometers of high-voltage transmission infrastructure have been deployed, significantly enhancing nationwide electrical accessibility. The legislative framework established by the Renewable Energy Sources Act, enacted in 2021, delineated the regulatory parameters for the operationalization of renewable energy technologies. Initiatives for solar and wind energy generation facilities, along with integrated hybrid systems, have been executed, showcasing a holistic strategy for energy advancement. Nonetheless, extensive export initiatives such as the TAP corridor underscore Turkmenistan’s ambition to not only fulfill its domestic requirements but also to assume a pivotal position in the formulation of energy security and stability throughout the region.
Turkmenistan has all the right ingredients in the pot to make it happen. Situated in a neck of the woods that basks in sunshine over 300 days a year, the country is sitting on a goldmine of solar energy potential. The mean solar irradiance throughout a significant portion of the region hovers between 1,700 and 1,800 kWh per square meter on an annual basis, facilitating the development of extensive photovoltaic installations for both residential utilization and exportation purposes.
One of the initial significant undertakings is the 10 MW Altyn Asyr photovoltaic power generation facility located in Balkan Province. The construction and installation phase has reached completion, and the requisite infrastructure for the facilitation of electricity transmission to end-users is currently being established. Employing the framework established by the National Research and Production Center “Renewable Energy Sources” at the State Energy Institute of Turkmenistan, experts have initiated pilot initiatives for a 50 MW integrated gas turbine and solar facility, alongside a solar-hydrogen configuration tailored for decentralized end-users.
Turkmenistan is really getting its ducks in a row when it comes to wind energy development. The wind power potential is said to be in the ballpark of 4–5 GW, especially in those necks of the woods where the coast meets the mountains. Through the implementation of advanced digital design frameworks for wind and solar installations, comprehensive renewable energy cadastres have been established, delineating both prospective and operational facilities, along with their respective capacities and energy outputs. These data sets underpin regional and national initiatives, project emissions abatement trajectories, and catalyze capital influx.
Engagement in the UN seminar epitomizes Turkmenistan’s strategic alignment with the evolution of global energy paradigms. Collaboration with the United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, and the International Renewable Energy Agency facilitates the transfer of expertise and fosters domestic initiatives.