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

In Episode 5 of the podcast, the host and the guest discuss key aspects of Kazakhstan’s national electricity grid and its importance in the energy transition. They talk about the current challenges in the Central Asian context, the prospects for the further development of the grid and the integration of renewable energy sources.

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

Guest: Almaz Saukhimpv, Managing Director for Development of National Electric Grids of Kazakhstan Electric Grid Operating Company JSC (KEGOC)..

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.

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

In Episode 4 of the podcast, the host and the guests talk about smart grid and how it helps to integrate renewable energy sources, reduce energy losses and contribute to the tariff stability.

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

Guests: Nurkhat Zhakiyev, PhD, Director of Science and Innovation Department of Astana IT University, and Alexander Kuzmenko, Member of the Board of Trustees of Almaty University of Energy and Communication.

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.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Uzbekistan has appointed Mr Nabijon Holov, the National Contact Point (NCP) Coordinator of Uzbekistan for the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, also as the NCP for its Cluster 5 – “Climate, Energy and Mobility”.

In this capacity, he will serve as a primary point of contact for inquiries related to participation in the Horizon Europe initiatives and projects and, in particular, in the areas of climate change, sustainable energy, and sustainable mobility.

The EU’s SECCA project assists the countries of Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, to create pre-conditions and build capacities for more active participation in the Horizon Europe programme. It provides capacity building support to all appointed NCPs in the region to ensure they can effectively fulfill their role.

The network of NCPs is the main structure to provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in Horizon Europe, including choosing the relevant topics and types of action, advising on administrative and contractual matters, training and assistance in proposal writing, assistance in partner search, and so on.

For contact details of Mr Holov, please visit this page.

Almaty, Kazakhstan – The second regional training on model-based energy and climate analysis organised by the European Union (EU) funded SECCA project took place on 11-13 December 2024. The young professionals from Central Asian countries, members of the Regional Group on Modelling, developed their skills in energy statistics and modelling analyses. They learned to select, collect, elaborate, utilise energy and non-energy statistics and data for quantitative analyses in the integrated energy and climate area.

This event is the second in the series of three planned trainings. The first training was held on 24-27 September 2024, and the third will take place in January 2025. These trainings aim to transfer the basic concepts, and the theoretical and practical approaches, related to analysing and modelling complex energy systems at the national and regional level.

By convening these regional trainings, the SECCA project intends to create a long-lasting virtuous bridge between the SECCA project activities and the local decision-makers, improve the local system-thinking and the knowledge-based data-driven decision making in the energy and climate sectors, enhance the technical and policy dialogue among the different stakeholders within each country, and among the CA countries, in the energy and climate fields, and generate practical impacts (capacity building) that go beyond the duration of the SECCA project.

Astana, Kazakhstan – The European Union (EU)-funded SECCA project continues to provide assistance to the Central Asian research institutions and universities in creating conditions and building capacities for more active participation in the EU’s Horizon Europe programme.

In cooperation with the Horizon Europe National Contact Points (NCPs) in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, the project shared the Cooperation profile template with 13 universities in Kyrgyzstan and more than 20 universities in Uzbekistan. Initially piloted in Kazakhstan and now replicated in other Central Asian countries, this template helps organisations in the region to find European partners for the programme calls.

The project also strengthens capacities of the newly appointed NCPs in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, and continues to provide opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing to the scientists and researchers in the region.

To date, 42 projects and 62 organisations benefited from participation in Horizon Europe and its predecessor Horizon 2020.

How to participate and contacts of NCPs

“Energiya Joly” is the podcast launched by the SECCA Project. It explores the path to sustainable energy in Central Asia.

In its Episode 3, the host and the guest talk about critical raw materials, their role in energy transition, and how Kazakhstan can become a key player in the global supply chain.

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

Guest: Turar Zholmagambetov, Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Industry of the Ministry of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan.

Watch the full episode here:

Podcast channel on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EnergiyaJoly.

Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic – On 4 November 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic issued an important order titled “On the Development of Micro-Scale Renewable Energy”.

The document provides for widespread use of renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies across various sectors, including social infrastructure, residential buildings, government institutions, and private enterprises, as well as creation of favourable conditions and incentives for investors and local businesses to mitigate the energy system’s capacity deficit.

The European Union (EU) funded SECCA project has been advising the state partners in Kyrgyzstan on the legal, regulatory, and financial aspects of micro-scale renewable energy development, particularly for rooftop solar installations. Drawing on the experience of the EU Member States, Energy Community Contracting Parties, and other Central Asian countries, SECCA has shared valuable insights and case studies.

In addition, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Energy has requested technical assistance from the project for advancing micro-scale renewable energy projects. To this end, SECCA has established a group of experts, who met at the kick-off meeting on 5 December 2024. The experts are tasked to identify bankable rooftop solar projects for different categories of consumers.

Almaty, Kazakhstan – The European Union funded project “Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA)” took part in the conference “Green Business Pavilion: Sustainable Solutions for Climate Protection and Economic Growth” at the invitation of the Delegation of the German Economy to Central Asia. The SECCA project was represented by Zhaxylyk Tokayev, National coordinator in Kazakhstan.

With the ratification of the Paris Agreement, states committed to developing nationally determined contributions for the economy (NDCs) and updating them every 5 years. Based on reliable data, NDCs help states begin a transformational transition to greener and more sustainable development. Kazakhstan has committed to reducing emissions by 15% from 1990 levels by 2030, and by 25% with international support.

Green Business Pavilion provided an open platform for international and local business representatives and experts to present their solutions and ideas. It facilitated the exchange of views and development of concrete recommendations for the further development of NDCs.

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – Programme Manager of the EU Delegation Robert Brudzynski, SECCA Key Experts Paata Janelidze and Ilze Purina, and Senior Expert Natalia Shatirishvili met with Gulnabat Gurdova the newly-appointed National Contact Point (NCP) of Turkmenistan for the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme. Representatives of the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan also attended the meeting.

The experts discussed promotion of Horizon Europe in Turkmenistan. The parties agreed to cooperate for experience and knowledge exchange between the NCPs in Central Asia. The SECCA project invited Ms Gurdova to join the regional NCP network.

Turkmenistani scientists and researchers stand to benefit greatly from the participation in Horizon Europe. To raise awareness about it, the SECCA project also organised the International Conference “Opportunities for Turkmenistan’s Participation in the Horizon Europe Programme” on 26 November 2024 in Ashgabat.

The EU-funded SECCA project will continue assisting the Central Asian countries, including Turkmenistan, with creating conditions and building capacity for more active participation in the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme by providing opportunities for networking, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing.

Mary, Turkmenistan – National stakeholders, policymakers, energy experts, representatives of professional associations, academia and international organisations attended the International Conference “Sustainable Energy for Environmental Protection – Reviewing International Best Practices”.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan, the EU-funded project “Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA), and the UNDP project “Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated Green Urban Development in Ashgabat and Awaza”.

The conference emphasised Turkmenistan’s commitment to promoting sustainable energy. The country is currently reviewing strategies and mechanisms for renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment.

Addressing the participants of the Conference, Mr Robert Brudzynski, Programme Manager at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Kazakhstan, said: “Access to clean energy is crucial for economic growth and sustainable development of all countries – both in the Central Asian region and worldwide. In line with the EU Strategy for Central Asia and the “Team Europe” initiative, the EU supports the Central Asian countries, including Turkmenistan, in their energy transition efforts. We welcome the initiative of the Government of Turkmenistan to establish the Alliance for Cooperation on Global Energy Security and Sustainable Development, which focuses on pooling resources, expertise and innovative technologies to address the challenges of energy transition and increase energy access. The European Union highly values the partnership with Turkmenistan and recognises the importance of cooperation in addressing common global challenges.”

At the Conference, the delegates reviewed the best practices on implementation of successful sustainable energy policies in the EU and other countries of Central Asia. Notable discussions included the potential of production of bioenergy and biofuel, as well as innovative green energy initiatives and solutions by the country’s researchers. The conference served as a practical forum to exchange experiences and knowledge for sustainable energy transition.

Background:

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European countries. It is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. It acts globally to promote sustainable development of societies, environment and economies, so that everyone can benefit.

The EU-funded project “Sustainable Energy Connectivity in Central Asia (SECCA)” (from March 2022 to March 2026) aims to promote a sustainable energy mix in the Central Asia region in line with EU best practices. To fulfil its mission, SECCA strives to provide for strengthened and more inclusive policy, regulatory and institutional framework for the transition to a sustainable energy system, within a regional context, and focuses on contributing to the fulfilment of international human rights commitments in CA countries, including equal access to energy, and supporting gender inclusive policies and legislation for energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE). The project activities include capacity development for EE and RE deployment, awareness raising on EE and RE, and improving investment climate for EE and RE projects. Website: www.secca.eu.

UNDP project “Sustainable Cities in Turkmenistan: Integrated development of green cities in Ashgabat and Avaza”. The objective of the project is to significantly reduce the negative effects of urban growth in Turkmenistan and simultaneously achieve the goals of social and economic development. To this end, the project provides technical assistance, organizational and political support, the organization and development of programs, as well as the promotion of behaviour change in combination with national priorities and specific needs formulated by the Government. The measures introduced in Ashgabat and Avaza have led to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and social benefits in themselves, as well as creating the basis for replication in other regions of Turkmenistan.

For additional information, please contact Mrs Yelena Serebrennikova, Communication strategist, SECCA, email: media@secca.eu, WhatsApp: +77019814020, Mrs Nurgul Smagulova-Dulic, Digital Communication Expert, SECCA, email: nurgul.smagulova@secca.eu, WhatsApp: +77012066760, or the EU Delegation to Turkmenistan: Aygul.BASHIMOVA@eeas.europa.eu.