KARAGANDA (KazInform) — Constriction of the largest solar power station in Central Asia will complete soon in Saran town of Karaganda region. The station will be launched at the close of this November.

The 100 MW solar power station will start operating at its full capacity next year. Currently there are 150 people working at its construction site. 20 people will work at the solar plant in the future. Two more similar projects are being implemented in the region. A 50 MW solar power station is being installed at Gulshat village, Balkhash city. It is the first project realized there under the green economy transition concept. Construction of the third solar station will come to an end next summer in Agadyr, Karaganda region.

Kazakhstan has areas with high insolation that could be suitable for solar power, particularly in the south of the country, receiving between 2200 and 3000h of sunlight per year, which equals 1200-1700&nbspkW/m² annually.

Last January, Kazakh Deputy Minister of Energy, Gani Sadibekov has announced that a series of auctions for large-scale renewable energy power projects will be launched this year, and that the first bidding round will be held in May. Overall, the government intends to allocate around 1 GW of renewable energy power generation capacity through the tenders. When implemented, the new auction scheme will be Kazakhstan’s first serious attempt to increase the share of renewable in its energy mix, after several failed efforts.