N.E. Aitzhanov, the Chairperson of the Board of KEGOC JSC

Currently, energy systems around the world are facing challenges in ensuring their own stability, efficiency and sustainability. The large-scale integration of renewable energy sources (hereinafter referred to as RES) requires effective management of the variability of electric energy production by this type of generation.

The Concept of Kazakhstan's transition to the "green economy" has set the task to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy balance to 15% by 2030 and to 50% by 2050 (with due account for other alternative energy sources). Currently, about 80% of electricity generation in the IEPS of Kazakhstan falls for traditional power plants. The share of flexible generation is several times less than in similar energy systems of neighboring states. These factors significantly complicate the integration of RES.

In conditions of a shortage of flexible generation in the IEPS of Kazakhstan, the development of renewable energy generation requires a balanced approach to the introduction of wind farms, solar power plant and at the same time accelerated the development of HPP (hydroelectric power plant) technologies, flexible generation, as well as the establishment of requirements for RES to minimize the negative impact on the stability of the energy system.

One of the solutions to this problem is the introduction of electrical energy storage systems (hereinafter referred to as ESS). ESS are advanced technologies that provide new opportunities for the development of the electric power industry. It provides the opportunity to store electricity and shift the time of its consumption, so that the production and consumption processes do not need to be strictly simultaneous. Thanks to these technologies, it is possible to ensure continuous power supply even in cases of emergency conditions.

The use of ESS will ensure compensation for fluctuations in renewable energy generation, as well as the participation of solar power plants in the power balance during the evening maximum load. Besides, ESS can be used in solving other issues, specifically:

1. Load leveling: ESS can be used to reduce consumption during peak hours, as well as to supply reserved amounts of electricity to the power grid to cover imbalances, thereby reducing by-hour electricity imports and imbalances at the borders of adjacent power systems.

2. Frequency and voltage regulation: ESS are technologically capable of maintaining the frequency and voltage in the power system within acceptable limits, including within the framework of primary and secondary frequency regulation.

3. Redundancy: in situations of limited power supply from the power grid, ESS are able to function temporarily as a backup energy source.

4. Emergency management: in case of emergency shutdowns of power transmission lines or generation lines, ESS is used to unload controlled sections and maintain the stability of the power system with minimal restriction of consumers.

5. Electrical power regulation: the use of ESS as a tool for the tasks of a centralized system of automatic frequency control and power overflows.

These functional aspects are becoming especially relevant in the context of the growing pace of RES implementation. This opens up new prospects for improving and optimizing energy efficiency technologies in order to effectively use renewable resources and ensure a future with sustainable energy.

To date, Kazakhstan has launched the large-scale projects for the construction of wind farms with a total capacity of 5.7 GW under agreements with Total Energies (France), Masdar (UAE), ACWA Power (Saudi Arabia), China Power International Holding (China), Power China (China). Whereof 4 wind farms projects involve the use of EES.

However, at the moment there are no legislative standards in Kazakhstan regulating the use and implementation of electricity storage technologies. In order to determine an effective mechanism for the implementation and functioning of the ESS in Kazakhstan in the near future, it is necessary to form a regulatory framework considering international experience. Note that in 2021, the Asian Development Bank prepared an analytical report on the prospects for the use of ESS in Kazakhstan, which reflected legal, technical and economic obstacles, as well as the recommendations on updating legislation for the implementation of ESS in the IEPS of Kazakhstan.

KEGOC JSC, as a transmission system operator, is a major asset in the implementation of the ESS scheme in the IEPS of Kazakhstan, and is already taking the necessary measures in this direction.

On December 4, 2023, as part of a visit to Beijing (China), KEGOC JSC, China Power International Development Limited, China Power International Holding Limited and the Association of Renewable Energy of Kazakhstan have signed an agreement on the implementation of a Pilot project for the introduction of ESS in the IEPS of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this Pilot project is to examine the impact of ESS on the regulation of the energy system during the integration of renewable energy sources into the IEPS of Kazakhstan.

Following the results of the Pilot Project, with the support of the Association of Renewable Energy of Kazakhstan, recommendations are expected to be developed on amendments to the regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the development of regulatory and technical documentation on the implementation of ESS of Kazakhstan, the mechanism of ESS operation in the wholesale electricity market.

The implementation of the Pilot project will stimulate the development of ESS technologies in Kazakhstan, which, therefore, will provide an opportunity to increase the share of RES in the energy balance.

Thus, the use of ESS will have a comprehensive positive effect on the functioning of the energy system and the activities of various categories of participants of the wholesale electricity market:

1.      Energy-producing organizations based on renewable energy sources will have the opportunity to neutralize the natural unevenness of their own electricity generation by using ESS to reserve over-planned generation volumes.

2.      Wholesale consumers will be able to reduce the volume of electricity imbalances in the balancing market by covering unplanned loads using their own ESS, as well as use the ESS as a backup energy source in cases of limited power supply. In addition, the use of ESS power reserves in emergency management will allow replacing some consumers with forced power restrictions and reduce the time to restore power supply to disconnected consumers.

3.      ESS operators, as a new category of participants of the wholesale electricity market, will provide services to other subjects and receive appropriate competitive income. The provision of service to a transmission system operator for secondary regulation of electric power with the connection to a centralized system of automatic frequency control and power overflows, participating in the balancing electricity market, is also being considered.

As a result of the implementation of ESS in the IEPS of Kazakhstan, the transmission system operator will have additional tools for regulating imbalances and frequencies in the energy system, expand the opportunities for ensuring the stability of the energy system by increasing emergency management resources. The operator will have an increased potential for integrating RES into the national electric network as well.