BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. Masdar is advancing its renewable energy footprint in Kazakhstan with the development of what will be the largest onshore wind farm in Central Asia, Maryam Al Mazrouei, Head of Business Development and Investment for the CIS region at Masdar, said at the KAZENERGY Forum in Astana, Trend reports.
"We’re very happy as well that we have already launched the relationship and the project development in Kazakhstan. Of course, we have very strong government-to-government relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Kazakhstan," Al Mazrouei said.
The project, located in the Jamboree region, will feature a one-gigawatt onshore wind farm coupled with 600-megawatt-hour battery storage and an extensive overhead transmission line. Masdar is developing the project in partnership with Samruk Energy and its subsidiary QGP, KIDF, two Abu Dhabi investors, and W Solar.
Al Mazrouei emphasized the importance of stakeholder collaboration in ensuring project success. "These are only the sponsors, but the project cannot be implemented without the stakeholders - Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC), IFC, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Economy, and Ministry of Finance. So collaboration is key. We’ve seen this not only in the region but across different continents. When there is collaboration across different stakeholders, there will always be a successful story to tell.”
She highlighted the strong support received from Kazakhstan: "Currently, the project is at a very advanced stage of development thanks to the support that we have been receiving from the Kazakhstan side, including all the ministries, the partners, and the parliament as well. They were very supportive".
Once operational, the wind farm will provide clean energy to around 300,000 households and reduce approximately 2 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. The project represents an investment of over $1 billion.
"This is a significant project. It’s not just about energy production; it’s about creating a sustainable, long-term impact for the region," Al Mazrouei added.