BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. Energy efficiency is one of the key elements of technological development amid Central Asia’s energy transition, Saken Kalkamanov, chairman of the International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Center (IGTIC), Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
He made the remarks during Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW 2026).
According to him, electricity demand is growing across Central Asia, while industrial activity is expanding and pressure on energy infrastructure is increasing.
“At the same time, countries in the region are expanding their use of renewable energy sources and working to improve the resilience of their energy systems. Central Asia’s energy systems have historically been interconnected. Therefore, energy efficiency, modernization and resilience are not only national issues for the region but also matters of common importance,” Kalkamanov said.
He noted that energy solutions and approaches to energy efficiency vary, but energy efficiency is considered one of the key elements of technological development.
“For industry and other energy-intensive sectors, energy efficiency is a matter of technology itself: equipment efficiency, thermal processes, and the use of raw materials and other resources,” the IGTIC chairman said.
He cited southern Kazakhstan as an example, noting that the Turkistan region is Kazakhstan’s largest greenhouse production hub, accounting for about 70% of the country’s total greenhouse area.
“A significant share of greenhouses in the region use coal for heating. Under these conditions, energy efficiency is directly linked not only to reducing costs, but also to environmental impact and production competitiveness. Therefore, improving efficiency requires not only organizational measures, but also technological modernization,” he said.
