Is Kazakhstan a good place to install solar power plants?

At least 50% of the territory of Kazakhstan is suitable for installing solar power plants (Antonov, 2014). However, up until recently, solar resources of the country were not being used for power generation. Kazakhstan is developing solar energy technologies, namely production of photovoltaic modules using local silicon.

Why is Kazakhstan developing solar energy technologies?

Kazakhstan is developing solar energy technologies, namely production of photovoltaic modules using local silicon. As Kazakhstan is rich in silicon (85 million tons), production of silicon solar batteries on the domestic market was started (Sim, 2015).

What is Kazakhstan's First Solar power plant?

The plant is to produce solar cells using Kazakhstan’s silicon. The designed capacity of photovoltaic wafers is 50 MW with a potential to increase up to 100 MW. In 2012, the first solar power station, “Otar,” that generates 0.5 MW of energy, was also built in the Zhambyl region.

Can Kazakhstan produce solar cells using silicon?

As Kazakhstan is rich in silicon (85 million tons), production of silicon solar batteries on the domestic market was started (Sim, 2015). In this light, recently “Astana Solar” plant aimed at the production of photovoltaic modules was launched in Nur-Sultan. The plant is to produce solar cells using Kazakhstan’s silicon.

Which part of Kazakhstan receives the most solar radiation?

During the summer months (June – August), due to its geographical location, the southern part of Kazakhstan receives direct solar radiation for the most of the daylight hours which constitute 83 – 96% of the maximum possible value.

How much sunshine does Kazakhstan get a year?

While the northern part of the country receives approximately 2,000 hours of sunshine, the southern cities such as Kyzylorda and Shymkent receive 2,936 and 2,892 hours of sunshine annually, which is enough to meet the electricity demand of southern Kazakhstan.