Starting point
Description: German-Kazakh Energy Dialogue
Client: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi)
Country: Republic of Kazakhstan
Lead executing agency/partner ministries: Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Founding year: 2012
Contact: Elena Metzger (metzger(at)dena.de)
The Kazakh economy is growing – and with it, its demand for energy, which is already high due to energy-intensive industries such as the iron and steel industry, as well as mining. At the same time, there is great potential for energy saving here. In 2016, Kazakhstan ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This is also why the country wants to increase the proportion of renewable energy sources and reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Targets
Targets include further expansion of renewables and an increase in energy efficiency. The German-Kazakh Energy Dialogue thus also aims to help the country fulfil its international climate protection obligations.
Focus topics
Political advice on a cross-sectoral increase in energy efficiency – including in industry, public buildings and the heating supply in municipalities – is a central component of the energy dialogue. Driving innovations and supporting start-ups in the energy sector is an important concern. Financing, funding and regulation are key issues being handled across all sectors.
Approach
dena is supporting the Kazakh government in the development and implementation of its energy policy. This includes advice on legislation, the development of instruments and measures, as well as the implementation of specific projects.
Workshops, bilateral discussions and study trips are used for regular exchanges. In this context, dena is developing recommended courses of action and strategies for increasing efficiency in industry and transport, for example.
Awareness campaigns are also part of the energy dialogue formats: In 2017, dena launched the project ‘Initiative Energieeffizienz’ (Energy Efficiency Campaign) Kazakhstan. The aim is to support the Kazakh government in developing an integrated communications strategy for energy efficiency in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Effects
Close cooperation with regions and local communities made it possible to build a network of municipal representatives who are now focusing on energy management, amongst other things. By participating in legal initiatives and decisions in the field of energy efficiency, dena is laying the foundations for achieving national targets. A highlight of the German-Kazakh cooperation was the ‘German Energy Dialogue’ on the occasion of EXPO 2017 in Astana, which dena helped organise.
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Picture: shutterstock/evgenykz