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Exploring Opportunities and Limitations of Kazakhstan’s Multilateral and Bilateral Cooperation in Renewable Energy within Central Asia: A Comprehensive Analysis

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Abstract

Global energy architecture changes under the influence of energy transitions and geopolitical events, which actualize the task of strengthening Kazakhstan’s energy security. The study aims to analyse the prospects for cooperation in the field of energy security within the framework of the Energy Club of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and assess the potential benefits for Kazakhstan. The study used the following. Structural-functional, forecasting systems, and comparative analysis. The study demonstrates that Kazakhstan needs to transform its energy system, and the SCO Energy Club has the potential to attract investment and technology in this area. Promising areas of cooperation in the fields of renewable and hydrogen energy and the digitalization of energy infrastructure are identified. A significant asymmetry in the economic and technological potential of the key SCO Energy Club members was noted. This complicates the development of a balanced agenda for energy cooperation within the SCO. It is concluded that the SCO Energy Club can become a platform for the formation of a new multipolar energy geopolitics, provided that the interests of all participants are considered. In the context of the global energy transition, Kazakhstan faces the need for a large-scale transformation of the energy sector. The country needs significant investments in the development of renewable energy sources, hydrogen technologies, and the modernization of its electricity infrastructure. Participation in the SCO Energy Club is seen as an opportunity to attract financial resources and advanced technologies from SCO partners to address these challenges. Specific promising areas of Kazakhstan’s cooperation in the field of green energy have been identified, including the implementation of joint projects in solar and wind energy, hydrogen production, and hydrogen export. Opportunities for the digitalization of Kazakhstan’s electricity infrastructure through the transfer of Chinese and other technologies were identified. For Kazakhstan, cooperation within the SCO Energy Club opens up prospects for diversifying export energy markets, attracting investment in the development of energy infrastructure, and increasing energy independence. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of recommendations for utilising the potential of the SCO Energy Club to strengthen energy security and build up Kazakhstan’s energy potential.

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Data Availability

Datasets from this study are available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of International relations and the World Economy, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan

    Olzhas Baisalbek, Ka Wai Christopher Hor, Fatima Kukeyeva, Kuralay Baizakova & Malik Augan

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  1. Olzhas Baisalbek
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  2. Ka Wai Christopher Hor
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  3. Fatima Kukeyeva
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  4. Kuralay Baizakova
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  5. Malik Augan
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Contributions

OB, KWCH, and FK designed the study. KB collected and analyzed the data. MA wrote the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Malik Augan.

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Baisalbek, O., Hor, K.W.C., Kukeyeva, F. et al. Exploring Opportunities and Limitations of Kazakhstan’s Multilateral and Bilateral Cooperation in Renewable Energy within Central Asia: A Comprehensive Analysis. East Asia (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12140-024-09425-z

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