International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) released a statement detailing six key areas to facilitate the uptake of renewables in Central Asia and help diversify the energy mix in a new regional Action Plan.
During the Energy Ministerial at the Astana EXPO-2017 on Sunday, countries addressed the major regional challenges to the deployment of renewables, which were identified by IRENA as: increased electricity demand, ageing power infrastructure, limited energy access for remote areas, and the impact of climate change on the energy systems.
Central Asian countries identified areas for IRENA's collaboration to facilitate the deployment of renewable energy in the region through resource assessments, integration of variable renewable energy into power grids, policies and regulations for renewable energy deployment, renewable energy statistics and data collection, project facilitation and raising awareness.
IRENA Director-General Adnan Z. Amin said in a statement that covering over four million square kilometers, the countries of Central Asia are endowed with rich renewable energy sources that can drive sustainable economic development and growth.
"With renewable energy targets in place for 2020 and beyond, the region can now seize this transformative opportunity for a sustainable energy future, and the new Action Plan will help boost efforts of renewable energy uptake,” he added.
Over the last two years, the region took steps in diversifying its energy mix, by installing 500 megawatts of new non-hydro renewable power capacity.
(Anadolu Agency)
