QAZAQ GREEN.  Kazakhstan presented a range of promising renewable energy initiatives at Power Tech 2025, a major Central Asian conference and exhibition dedicated to decarbonisation and clean energy. Held from 2 to 4 April in Almaty, the event brought together over 100 companies from 14 countries and featured more than 50 speakers and moderators, drawing over 3,000 attendees.

The conference served as a key platform for discussing the transfer of green technologies, financing of environmental initiatives, and the development of carbon markets. Many of the featured projects are already being implemented in Kazakhstan, reflecting the country’s growing commitment to a low-carbon future.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kazakhstan’s Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Mansur Oshurbaev, highlighted the strategic importance of international partnerships in advancing decarbonisation and praised Power Tech for its contribution to promoting sustainable practices and green economy principles.

Kazakhstan has taken notable steps in this direction, including the launch of the Regional Project Office on Climate Change and Green Energy and the development of the Central Asian Bureau of Best Available Techniques. These platforms support knowledge sharing and practical implementation of eco-friendly technologies in industry.

The business agenda of Power Tech 2025 included sessions on financing green projects, where institutions like the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) presented support mechanisms for clean energy ventures. Experts emphasised the role of blended finance in helping countries like Kazakhstan meet climate goals without undermining socio-economic development.

“Blended finance is crucial for accelerating decarbonisation and mobilising private investment for sustainable development,” said Dina Zhanadil, Managing Director at the Development Bank of Kazakhstan.

The forum also focused on the voluntary carbon market and start-up support, featuring international players such as Verra (USA), Ernst & Young (UK), Valor Carbon (UK), and Agreena (EU). Around 20 cleantech start-ups, including Forest Hero and QazaqCarbon, presented initiatives like saxaul planting in the Aral Sea region.

Power Tech 2025 also marked the launch of the third cycle of the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) in Kazakhstan, supported by UNIDO. This accelerator supports cleantech start-ups in renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable agriculture, and waste management, aiming to connect Kazakh innovations with global markets.

During the conference, industry experts from organisations such as Ecojer, S&P Global, and CAREC Institute explored the current state and future potential of the Central Asian renewable energy market. Parallel to these discussions, the importance of Kazakhstan’s national renewable energy projects was underscored at the Central Asia–EU Summit in Samarkand, with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reiterating the country’s green commitments.

Adding a symbolic gesture to the event, Power Tech 2025 participants, together with the Almaty Akimat and the International Centre for Green Technology and Investment Projects, planted 30 Cercis canadensis trees in the city’s Botanical Garden.