German investor and project developer Svevind has announced a plan to install 30GW of electrolysers to produce 3mn t/yr of green hydrogen in Kazakhstan.

The firm says the development, engineering, procurement and financing phases will take three to five years, with construction beginning after that. The electrolysers would be supplied by 45GW of wind and solar—a number equivalent to the entire installed renewable capacity of the UK.

“The promotion of low-carbon development is in line with the strategic direction of development of the Republic of Kazakhstan” Yussupov, Kazakh Invest

Were the project to successfully install this amount of electrolyser capacity, it would make the region one of the largest producers of green hydrogen in the world.

The EU—considered to have one of the most well-developed hydrogen strategies in the world—has a goal of installing 6GW of electrolyser capacity producing 1mn t/yr of green hydrogen by 2024.

Svevind has a track record of developing wind power projects in Scandinavia, including being involved in the 1GW Markbygden wind project.

The firm has presented its plants to the Kazakh government and has signed a memorandum of understanding with national investment body Kazakh Invest.

“The promotion of low-carbon development is in line with the strategic direction of development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the obligations undertaken in the framework of international agreements. Through the development of hydrogen energy, Kazakhstan can get its niche in the world supply of hydrogen”, says Meirzhan Yussupov, chairman of the board of Kazakh Invest.

Renewable energy accounted for only 1.8pc of Kazakhstan’s energy mix in 2018, according to the IEA, most of which was hydro energy.

Under its nationally determined contribution to the Paris Agreement, Kazakhstan has a target for the share of renewable energy in electricity generation to reach 10pc by 2030 and 50pc by 2050.

But the nation still continues to prioritise the modernisation of existing coal plants rather than focusing on renewable generation, according to non-governmental organisation (NGO) Climate Action Tracker.

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Author: Tom Young