BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 13. The Government of Turkmenistan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a five-year project aimed at expanding solar energy use and improving access to reliable electricity in remote communities across the country, UNDP reported.
The agreement was signed in Antalya, Türkiye, on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).
Titled “Supporting the Energy Transition for Remote Settlements in Turkmenistan,” the project is backed by a grant of more than $4.17 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). It is expected to be implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), in cooperation with Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Energy.
The initiative aims to create the institutional, regulatory, and technical conditions for expanding renewable energy use, while introducing solar power solutions in remote settlements that currently rely mainly on diesel generators.
Under the project, up to 10 pilot solar mini-grids with a combined capacity of up to 2 megawatts are to be installed and commissioned. Feasibility assessments and technical preparations will also be carried out to evaluate the potential deployment of solar energy systems in another 120 remote settlements.
“This project offers an opportunity to translate the country's renewable energy ambitions into practical solutions, combining policy development, national capacity-building and tangible investments in solar energy,” UNDP Resident Representative in Turkmenistan Narine Sahakyan said.
She added that the initiative is expected to strengthen energy security and improve access to reliable energy services, particularly for women and other vulnerable groups.
The project will also support improvements to Turkmenistan’s regulatory and institutional framework for renewable energy and provide training to strengthen national expertise.
The initiative is aligned with Turkmenistan’s National Strategy for the Development of Renewable Energy until 2030 and its National Climate Change Strategy. It is also expected to contribute to the country’s commitments under the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
