ERG, Huadian plan next Kazakh wind farm

Eurasian Resources Group (ERG), a natural resources group based in Luxembourg, said recently that it's planning another wind farm project in Kazakhstan with power company China Huadian Corp Ltd and Kazakhstan's Argestus.

The wind power plant will be located near Ekibastuz in the Pavlodar region. With an installed capacity of 200 megawatts and investment of approximately $176 million, the facility is expected to complete construction by end-2026.

"The use of alternative and renewable energy sources is one of ERG's main focus areas. Our actions to build wind power farms in Kazakhstan should contribute to the achievement of the country's goal to further reduce the carbon footprint of its products," said Shukhrat Ibragimov, ERG's CEO and chairman of the board of managers.

The move comes after ERG's earlier announced project — a 150 MW wind farm in the Aktobe region of Kazakhstan.

ERG is 40 percent owned by the Kazakhstan government, said the company's official website. It has a track record of around 30 years in the global metals and mining sector, spanning extraction and production, processing, energy, logistics and marketing.

Its cooperation with China Huadian marks the latest example of China-Kazakhstan energy cooperation, which boasts a long-standing history and bright prospects, experts said.

Lin Boqiang, head of the China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy at Xiamen University, said: "Energy cooperation between China and Kazakhstan has been fruitful. In the oil and gas sector, Chinese enterprises have established a complete industry chain in Kazakhstan, encompassing oil and gas exploration and development, pipeline construction and operation, engineering and technical services, as well as refining and sales, which play a crucial role in ensuring both countries' energy security.

"There is still significant room for development in the oil and gas sector in the future.

"Currently, a number of wind power projects are underway. There will be more cooperation in clean energy sectors such as nuclear power."

In November, China's National Energy Administration and the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan signed an agreement, signaling collaborative efforts to advance renewable energy projects in the Central Asian nation.

The agreement delineates cooperation objectives, project targets, legal frameworks and key implementation conditions, helping facilitate the active participation of enterprises from both nations in wind power, photovoltaics and other ventures in Kazakhstan.

It also identifies an initial list of major projects totaling 1.8 gigawatts, the NEA said.

"New energy development is an inevitable global trend. With Kazakhstan's abundant wind and solar resources, the joint exploration of new energy between China and Kazakhstan will contribute to the green energy transition of both sides and yield more win-win results," Lin said.