BISHKEK (TCA) — Future Hydro Central Asia expo and conference will take place on December 15 and 16 in Bishkek, gathering hydro energy experts representing leading Central Asia and international hydro energy companies, government representatives, OEMs, numerous service providers and investors, Green World Conferences said.
The event will cover the entire spectrum of Central Asia hydro energy potential and ambitions – from rural micro hydro installations through large-scale dams development and financing.
The event is best suited for senior officers and executives with responsibilities in the financing aspects and decision-making processes related to hydropower projects.
With thousands of miles of waterways and enormous untapped potential Central Asia is poised for an explosion of hydropower growth. Navigating the challenges of development in this diverse environment can be well worth the large return, especially with small hydro power.
A gradual process of development has started yielding results for Central Asia hydropower, with a swathe of international hydro and associated power export projects under way or planned. It seems that Central Asia is becoming a more attractive place to invest in infrastructure development.
In Kyrgyzstan, the government streamlines respective legislation to attract investments, including private ones, in the renewable energy sector. The public-private partnership building is also a part of this equation. Some two thirds of the country’s energy is generated by power plants on large rivers. The hydro-energy sector is dominated by a few large Soviet-era power plants, while the small-scale potential of hydro-resources remains untapped. Currently, the country has more than 80 spots for small hydro power plant construction.
Uzbekistan has abundant oil and gas resources. Therefore in the past the Government spent little to develop renewable energy except hydropower and solar. This approach is rapidly changing now.
Kazakhstan has about 13 TWh of small hydropower economically developable potential, mainly located in East Kazakhstan, Zhambyl, Almaty and the southern Kazakhstan provinces.
In Turkmenistan, hydropower potential is mainly located on Murgab and Amu-Darya river basins. The largest small hydropower potential is concentrated in the southern part of the country on the Murgab and Tejen rivers and Karakum canal.