Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – The Ministry of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic has officially established an Inter-Institutional Working Group (IIWG) to strengthen energy efficiency (EE) services market and building energy performance certification standards. This step marks a significant milestone in Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to further advance national EE policies.

Comprising representatives from government bodies and technical experts, the IIWG is tasked to develop decisions on structuring of the bylaws that will enable the effective operation of Energy Services Companies (ESCOs), as well as monitoring and quality assurance of building Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).

The European Union (EU) funded SECCA project will support the IIWG by sharing the European Union’s and its Member States’ experience and advising on best practices. This work builds directly on SECCA’s activities during 2023-2024, when the project prepared a draft framework for Kyrgyzstan’s buildings EPCs quality control system.

“Energiya Joly” Podcast explores the path to sustainable energy in Central Asia. It has been launched by the EU-funded SECCA Project.

Episode 14 explores the topics of projected tariffs, the role of consumers, targeted support to vulnerable groups, small-scale generation, and more.

Host: Zhaksylyk Tokayev, energy and climate expert
Guest: Zhakyp Bokenbayev, Chairman of the Board of Directors at JSC “KOREM”.

Watch the full episode here (in Russian):

This podcast is funded by the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the consortium led by Stanted and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Astana, Kazakhstan – The European Union (EU)-funded SECCA project released a comprehensive database of Central Asian (CA) research institutions and universities to support their participation in Cluster 5 of the Horizon Europe programme, which focuses on climate, energy, and mobility.

This new resource is designed to help European stakeholders easily identify and connect with qualified organisations across Central Asia that are both interested in and capable of contributing to Horizon Europe projects. Many institutions in the region have previously noted the difficulty of finding European partners – a key requirement for third-country participation. The database directly addresses this challenge, facilitates consortium building, promotes knowledge exchange, and enhances the international research collaboration.

Full access to the database is available via the GREENET platform – an official network of the Horizon Europe Cluster 5 National Contact Points in the EU.

Currently, the database includes detailed profiles of organisations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan, with the information from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan expected to be added soon.

This initiative coincides with the release of the 2025 Cluster 5 Work Programme, which includes several calls encouraging cooperation between EU Member States and third countries. As such, the database is a timely and practical tool for researchers and project coordinators seeking reliable partners in the region.

“Energiya Joly” Podcast explores the path to sustainable energy in Central Asia. It has been launched by the EU-funded SECCA Project.

In the new episode, the host and the guest discuss how sustainable engineering solutions make it possible to construct autonomous homes, energy-efficient farms, and near-zero-emission buildings in Kazakhstan. They touch on European practices, the importance of monitoring and maintenance – and why true sustainability starts not with technology, but with a deep understanding of the building itself.

The episode guest shares insights from implementing unique projects, including the energy-efficient village “Energy City”, the country’s largest dairy farm, the world’s first net-zero energy mosque in Astana, and a fully off-grid TechnoDom store in Karagandy.

Host: Zhaksylyk Tokayev, energy and climate expert
Guest: Aleksandr Kravchenko, founder & CEO of SIG Construction

Watch the full episode here (in Russian):

Tashkent, Uzbekistan – On 1-2 July 2025, the Regional Group on Modelling convened in Tashkent for the Regional Workshop on Elements of Country Energy Planning. During the event, country teams presented priority elements that can be explored through energy-climate scenario analysis. Representatives of the State Partners, participating online, contributed comments, additional information, and insights.

Rocco De Miglio, Workstream Lead on Energy Modelling, presented the draft workplan of SECCA’s regional energy modelling initiative, which recently entered its Phase II. Phase II takes a more targeted, country-specific and application-oriented approach, while continuing to strengthen capacities of the Central Asian countries to develop national energy sector models, enhance local systems thinking and promote knowledge- and data-driven decision making in the energy and climate sectors.

The workshop also included a review and discussion of best practices in scenario development related to the identified priority elements.

A follow-up workshop is tentatively scheduled for November 2025 to present interim results of the scenario analysis and gather feedback and recommendations. A regional conference planned for early 2026 will present the final results of the analysis.

“Energiya Joly” Podcast explores the path to sustainable energy in Central Asia. It has been launched by the EU-funded SECCA Project.

In the new 12th episode, the host and the guest talk about the transformation of Uzbekistan’s energy sector – from the introduction of small-scale generation and rooftop solar to the diversification of energy resources, tariff reform and the development of state energy efficiency policy. They discuss energy audits, gas imports, and prospects for regional energy systems integration.

Host: Zhaksylyk Tokayev, Energy and Climate Expert, SECCA’s National Coordinator in Kazakhstan.

Guest: Muzaffarjan Khakimov, Advisor to the Head of ‘Uzenergoinspektsiya’.

Watch the full episode here (in Russian):

This podcast is funded by the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the consortium led by Stanted and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – The regulatory document titled “Ensuring Guaranteed Connection for Renewable Energy Installations to State Energy Systems” was approved by the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan on 1 July 2025.

As part of technical assistance aimed at developing a regulatory framework in the field of renewable energy (RE), on 15 May 2025, the European Union-funded SECCA project handed over the “Recommendations on ensuring guaranteed connection of renewable energy installations to state energy systems” to the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan. These recommendations were the basis of the newly approved regulation.

The document is intended to simplify procedures and create transparent conditions for connecting solar and wind power plants to the national grid, regardless of ownership type. It was developed in accordance with the “Law on Renewable Energy Sources” and applies to both new and renovated facilities.

According to the document, RE installation owners must follow a clearly defined procedure: obtain technical specifications, develop project documentation, carry out installation, and conduct commissioning works. Connection to the grid will only be possible after inspection by Gosenergonadzor (the State Energy Supervision Authority) and obtaining a positive conclusion.

The regulation also establishes requirements for metering systems, operational rules, and the contractual conditions between installation owners and energy supply companies. This new framework is aimed at promoting green energy development and enhancing the reliability of the country’s power supply.

Since early 2025, the SECCA project has been actively collaborating with representatives of Turkmenistan’s energy sector to promote sustainable use of the country’s energy resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Previously, SECCA also submitted a “Safety Recommendations for the Operation of Electricity Facilities”, which served as the foundation for the “Safety Rules for the Operation of Electricity Facilities” adopted by the Ministry on 2 May 2025.

Dushanbe, Tajikistan – The III International Conference “Current State and Prospects for the Development of Renewable Energy in Tajikistan” was held from 23 to 25 June 2025. The event brought together the high-level officials, experts, and researchers from across Central Asia, as well as representatives of international organisations and donors. The Conference served as a platform to foster regional cooperation and emerging initiatives in the renewable energy sector.

The Conference was organised by the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, and the Association of Renewable Energy Tajikistan, in partnership with the European Union (EU), GIZ, OSCE, and AEE Tajikistan Chapter.

In his opening remarks, Daler Jum’a, Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan, emphasized the country’s and its energy sector’s vulnerability to climate change. He noted that the National Development Strategy of the Republic of Tajikistan until 2030 sets a target to diversify energy generation sources by 10% and produce an additional 500 million kWh annually through renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. The Minister reiterated Tajikistan’s commitment to regional integration and making a significant contribution to reducing harmful emissions through development of infrastructure projects for the transmission of clean and green energy from Tajikistan to neighbouring countries.

The EU-funded project “Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA)” contributed to Session VII of the Conference focused on the prospects for the development of rooftop solar installations in Central Asian countries. SECCA Team Leader and Key Expert in Energy Engineering Paata Janelidze moderated this session and opened the discussion with a presentation on the project’s work in promoting rooftop solar. The session then continued with the presentation by SECCA’s Senior Expert in Energy Engineering Mansur Kudusov on the detailed assessment of rooftop solar energy potential in Central Asia.

The session concluded with an engaging discussion among the participants, reflecting growing interest from public, private, and academic stakeholders. It underscored the importance of regional cooperation and international support in advancing rooftop solar deployment across Central Asia.

Astana, Kazakhstan – A Roundtable “Development of Geothermal Energy in Kazakhstan: Prospects and Challenges” gathered the representatives of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, research institutes, universities, and the private sector from Kazakhstan, as well as experts from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. This event was organised jointly by the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan and the European Union funded SECCA project.

According to the International Energy Agency’s report “The Future of Geothermal Energy” (2024), with continued technological improvements and reduced project costs, geothermal energy could cover up to 15% of the global increase in electricity demand by 2050. This would mean the potential deployment of up to 800 GW of geothermal capacity, capable of producing around 6,000 TWh annually. Meanwhile, the total installed geothermal capacity worldwide currently stands at only 15-16 GW.

Many experts agree that geothermal energy sources are constant, reliable, and highly efficient in terms of their coefficient of performance.

Kazakhstan has significant potential for low-temperature geothermal energy, but this potential remains largely untapped. The draft Law “On the Development of Alternative Energy” initiated by the Ministry of Energy in 2024 includes the development of geothermal energy among the priority areas. At the Roundtable, the experts discussed its provisions.

Then, representatives from academia presented on the distribution of low-temperature geothermal energy resources in Kazakhstan, as well as the prospects for using geothermal heat pumps to decarbonize energy supply systems in various climatic regions of the country. A private sector representative shared experiences from implemented geothermal heating projects in Astana, Karaganda, and the Akmola region. Experts from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan also presented their countries’ experiences in utilizing geothermal resources.

After the presentations, the participants exchanged views on the legal, technical, and financial aspects of geothermal energy development and proposed priority directions for pilot initiatives.

“Energiya Joly” Podcast explores the path to sustainable energy in Central Asia. It has been launched by the EU-funded SECCA Project.

In this episode, the host and the guest discuss how Tajikistan is building a sustainable energy system and establishing its place on the regional energy map. They talk about the development of hydropower and solar energy, the CASA-1000 project, energy access for remote communities, and the role of international partners, including the European Union. The episode also explores the country’s potential as an electricity transit hub and the prospects for a unified energy market in Central Asia.

Host: Zhaksylyk Tokayev, Energy and Climate Expert, SECCA’s National Coordinator in Kazakhstan.

Guest: Furugzod Usmonov, CASA-1000 project coordinator in Tajikistan, expert on regional energy integration.

Watch the full episode here (in Russian):

This podcast is funded by the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the consortium led by Stanted and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.