BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 10. Energy
efficiency is one of the key elements of technological development
amid Central Asia’s energy transition, Saken Kalkamanov, chairman
of the International Green Technologies and Investment Projects
Center (IGTIC), Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
He made the remarks during Baku Climate Action Week 2026 (BCAW
2026).
According to him, electricity demand is growing across Central
Asia, while industrial activity is expanding and pressure on energy
infrastructure is increasing.
“At the same time, countries in the region are expanding their
use of renewable energy sources and working to improve the
resilience of their energy systems. Central Asia’s energy systems
have historically been interconnected. Therefore, energy
efficiency, modernization and resilience are not only national
issues for the region but also matters of common importance,”
Kalkamanov said.
He noted that energy solutions and approaches to energy
efficiency vary, but energy efficiency is considered one of the key
elements of technological development.
“For industry and other energy-intensive sectors, energy
efficiency is a matter of technology itself: equipment efficiency,
thermal processes, and the use of raw materials and other
resources,” the IGTIC chairman said.
He cited southern Kazakhstan as an example, noting that the
Turkistan region is Kazakhstan’s largest greenhouse production hub,
accounting for about 70% of the country’s total greenhouse
area.
“A significant share of greenhouses in the region use coal for
heating. Under these conditions, energy efficiency is directly
linked not only to reducing costs, but also to environmental impact
and production competitiveness. Therefore, improving efficiency
requires not only organizational measures, but also technological
modernization,” he said.
