/2^nd October 2017, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Statkraft officially opened the 73MW Banja hydropower project in Albania, which is the first of the two power plants being constructed as part of the 256MW Devoll hydropower project. The power plant, which is located 65 kilometres southeast of the capital Tirana, was officially opened by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Statkraft CEO Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, together with Albanian Energy Minister Damian Gjiknuri and Norway’s Ambassador-designate, Per Sjaastad.

/18^th December 2019, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ The first foreign wind farm investment for Kazakhstan and the first project in the region in the field of renewable energy sources were implemented by Italian investors in the Aktobe region. The ceremony of launching the 'Badamsha-I Wind Farm' was attended by the Ambassador of Italy to Kazakhstan, Pasquale D'Avino, Akim of the Aktobe region Ondasyn Urazalin, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of JSC “NC“ KAZAKH INVEST ”Birzhan Kaneshev, as well as Executive Vice President of Eni for the Central Asian Region Luka Vinyati.

/11^th December 2016, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/, The MENA region is blessed with all the natural resources necessary for a vibrant renewable energy sector: Lots of sunshine, strong winds and, in a few places, powerful rivers. According to World Bank estimates, the region receives between 22 percent and 26 percent of all solar energy striking the earth. This translates to a potential for solar energy per square kilometre per year equivalent to the energy generated from 1 to 2 million barrels of oil. MENA’s solar potential is considered to be exponentially higher than that of all other renewable resources combined and is even thought to be enough to meet the current global demand for electricity.

/24^th August 2017, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ Kazakhstan will switch to the mechanism of auctions to develop renewable sources of energy from the beginning of 2018. At the end of 2016, total number of 44 countries of the world is successfully applying an auctions system instead of fixed feed-in tariff support systems. Some of the largest global energy companies will be involved in developing renewable energy power plants in Kazakhstan. Aqua Power, Eni-Agip, General Electric, Shell, SANY Group, Hydro China, and many others are among them. Kazakhstan plans to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable and alternative energy sources according to President Nazarbayev’s ambitious 2050 strategy. This strategy is a part of the country’s comprehensive initiative to transfer itself from one of the world’s major hydrocarbon energy producers to a model green economy.

/13^th August 2018, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ More than 70 per cent of Kazakhstan’s electricity is produced in ageing coal-fired plants, served by the large volumes of cheap local coal in the northeast part of the country according to Kazakhstan Wind Power Market Outlook 2017÷2026. Consequently, the energy sector, in particular power and heat generation, accounts for 80 per cent of the country’s carbon emissions. Electricity in Kazakhstan is generated by 128 power plants of various forms of ownership. As of 1 January 2017, the total installed capacity of the power plants in Kazakhstan was 21,672.9 MW; and the available capacity was 18,791.4 MW. According to KEGOC in 2017 Kazakhstan saw the increase in electricity generation and consumption compared to 2016: electricity generation grew by 8.8% (or by 8.3 billion kWh) and amounted to 102.4 billion kWh; electricity consumption grew by 6% (or by 5.5 billion kWh) to 97.9 billion kWh.

/20^th September 2016, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM, IRENA, EY/, The renewable energy market in the MENA region is expanding rapidly, with many countries announcing projects and setting policies to promote renewable energy development and a number of initiatives undertaken to facilitate the deployment of renewable energy. According to the IFC, nearly $3 billion were invested in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in 2012, 40 % higher than in 2011 and roughly twice the amount invested in 2010. Growing recognition of these benefits is evident in the increasing amount of investment in renewable energy. It was estimated 10 that investment needs in the Mediterranean partner countries (MPC) would reach between EUR 7 and 21 billion 18 by 2020.

/28^th November 2019, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCH^TM/ In the course of the pilot auction for 50 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Kazakhstan there has been a record low price set for solar photovoltaic power generation. The auction was recognized to be succeeded. The auction participants' geography is represented by 6 countries, including Kazakhstan, Italy, Russia, Germany, China, and the Netherlands.