News & Analysis

In most of this region’s countries, wind energy in 80’s and 90’s was unpopular and limited only to very small wind generators with capacity up to 2 KW for own use in remote areas with missing utility grid network. Renewable energy support and incentive mechanisms have been the most important factors which enabled the growth of a market since 2000. Wind electricity costs are becoming more and more competitive. Wind energy is now cost-competitive with new-build coal capacity, according to a report by HSBC bank. A stronger effort towards further development and technological innovation will make the sector more productive and competitive, and accelerate its evolution. As a result, the whole community will benefit from the increasing possibility that wind energy will be able to contribute substantially to CIS countries electricity generation by 2020 according to CIS Countries Wind Power Market Outlook 2013 – 2018

After many years of unfettered growth and innovation, the wind industry is now going through a challenging period, shifting market dynamics and changing political support creating a climate of uncertainty in the EU countries and other markets. For this reason, CIS countries present one perfect alternative for investors from already matured and developed wind markets in Europe, and for investors from Asia, which are looking aggressively to get stakes from new wind markets.

The current levels of dependence on fossil fuels, the need of reducing the carbon emissions associated with energy use and the prospects of developing a new and extremely innovative technology sector in CIS countries, make wind energy increasingly attractive.

Our forecast for the wind power sector in CIS countries is positive. The only developed market at the moment is Ukraine. Besides Ukraine, next wave markets with short and medium-term potential for development in 2014/2015 are Kazakhstan and Russia. We expect market drivers by the end of 2014 to be projects with capacity mainly in the range between 10 MW to 50 MW. More information about these promising markets you may read here: CIS Countries Wind Power Market Outlook 2013 – 2018