- Kazakhstan and Masdar signed an agreement to develop up to 500 MW of baseload renewable energy and 2 GW of battery storage.
- The 1 GW wind farm, already under development, supports Kazakhstan’s goal to generate 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2050.
Masdar and Kazakhstan’s Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund have signed a collaboration agreement to develop renewable energy and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Kazakhstan. The signing took place on May 12 during the official visit of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to Kazakhstan.
During the Kazakhstan-UAE business forum, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Masdar Chair Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber exchanged documents with Samruk Kazyna Chair Nurlan Zhakupov, according to Masdar’s press service.
Under the agreement, Masdar and Samruk Kazyna will explore the development of up to 500 megawatts (MW) of baseload renewable energy and BESS projects totalling up to two gigawatts (GW). Masdar is already building a one-gigawatt (GW) wind farm in Kazakhstan, which includes a 600 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery storage system. Once complete, this project will rank among the largest wind farms in the region.
UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail Al Mazrouei and Kazakh Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov also exchanged documents related to the ratification of an intergovernmental agreement. The two countries signed this agreement during COP28 in 2023 to support the one gigawatt (GW) wind project. The ratification marks a major milestone for the project’s development.
“This agreement builds on the already strong energy partnership between our two countries and will support Kazakhstan’s ambitious renewable energy objectives,” said Sultan Al Jaber. “By leveraging Masdar’s expertise in renewables and battery storage technology, Kazakhstan will be able to address today’s energy needs while creating new jobs, stimulating its economy and preparing for the growing demands of tomorrow. We look forward to working closely with Samruk Kazyna and the government of Kazakhstan to deliver sustainable, secure energy and drive socioeconomic progress.”
Kazakhstan aims to generate 15% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and increase this to 50% by 2050. At COP28, Masdar signed an agreement with W Solar, Qazaq Green Power (QGP), a Samruk Kazyna Group company, and the Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund to develop the one gigawatt (GW) wind project.
The parties signed the power purchase and investment agreements at COP29 in Baku last year, and construction will begin in 2026.
Masdar also announced a breakthrough in battery storage this year. At Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the company launched the world’s first gigascale 24/7 solar and battery storage project.
Based in Abu Dhabi, the project will include a 5.2 gigawatt (GW) direct current (DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS. Together, they will deliver up to one gigawatt (GW) of baseload power daily, making it the world’s largest combined solar and battery storage project.
Central Asia remains a strategic region for Masdar, with abundant wind and solar resources. Beyond Kazakhstan, Masdar has expanded across the region, including projects in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. The company aims for a global renewable energy portfolio of 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.