On May 24, the regular meeting of the Industrial Committee of the School of Materials Science and Green Technologies (SMaGT) was held at the Kazakhstan-British Technical University. The Head of SMaGT, N.B. Beisenkhanov, and the Chairman of the Industrial Committee, Zh.B. Mominbayev, invited potential employers to discuss issues related to student employment and practical training.

One of the key topics of the meeting was the organization of industrial and pre-diploma internships for SMaGT students. Representatives of TechnoGroupService LLP discussed the relevance of the curriculum in terms of employer needs. Zh.B. Mominbayev also shared plans for the construction of a photovoltaic module manufacturing plant in the Alatau IT Park Special Economic Zone.

As part of the visit, representatives of TechnoGroupService LLP presented reports on photovoltaic module testing and solar power plant design standards. Opportunities for student internships at the company's Physical-Technical Institute LLP were also discussed, providing students with a chance to apply theoretical knowledge in practice and expand their experience in the energy sector.

In the city of Zhezkazgan, on April 28-29, 2024, under the chairmanship of the Head of the Committee for Ecology and Natural Resources of the Mazhilis Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Zhambyrshin Edil Terekbayuly, together with representatives of several relevant ministries and the Aktobe region's administration, an off-site meeting was held on the topic of "Environmental and Energy Issues in the Ulytau Region and Ways to Address Them." The company "TechnoGroupService" was included in the list of region enterprises visited by the participants of this off-site meeting.

During the delegation's visit to the TGS production base, the company's partner Zhomart Mominbayev presented the "Zhez-Solar" solar power station, with a capacity of 1.2 MW, which has been commissioned and is currently awaiting tariff approval. Deputy Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan, Eskhanov S.K., reported that the matter is under consideration and the tariff should be approved soon.

The delegation was also presented with the projects for developing a 1 GW wind farm in the Zhanaarkinsky district of the Ulytau region and constructing a factory for manufacturing tower sections for wind turbines. These projects are being carried out by "TechnoGroupService" in collaboration with the Ulytau region's administration and the Chinese company SINOHYDRO Engineering Bureau 4 Machinery Equipment Co. Ltd. (a subsidiary of Power China).

The Chairman of the Committee for Ecology and Natural Resources, Zhambyrshin E.T., emphasized the importance of renewable energy projects for the region and the country as a whole. Deputy Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Eskhanov S.K., noted that if favorable wind potential and other conditions are determined in the Zhanaarkinsky district, this location could be included in the planned auctions.

Measures to protect and stimulate Kazakhstani equipment manufacturing for renewable energy projects were also discussed through amendments to relevant legal acts, including canceling subsidies for interest rates and investment preferences for renewable energy projects importing equipment. Providing support tools exclusively to renewable energy projects using local equipment will ensure the competitiveness of Kazakhstani products.

On April 19, 2024, in the city of Astana, a roundtable discussion took place on the topic: "Prospects for the Development of Bilateral Renewable Energy Contracts and Balancing Issues," organized by the Renewable Energy Association "Qazaq Green" with the support of the global GIZ project "Development of Climate Policy Potential in Southeastern and Eastern European Countries, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia" (CDCP).

Among the participants at the forum was Zhomart Nurkanov, Deputy Director of Business Development at TGS-Energy LTD. Chairperson of the Qazaq Green Board, Sospanova A.S., presented the current situation regarding bilateral renewable energy contracts in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Craig Menzies, Head of the Energy Department at Global Factor Consulting, provided an overview of international experience in applying corporate PPAs, including success factors and common issues.

Addressing the requirements for balancing by the system operator concerning bilateral renewable energy projects, Zhеnis Duysenov, Director of the Department of Development at the National Electricity Grid JSC "KEGOC," shared insights. Daurеn Zakiryаnov, Project Development Manager at Sungrow Renewables Development, presented Sungrow's interesting experience in implementing energy storage systems.

The main theme of the meeting revolved around the relevance of introducing a system of bilateral PPA contracts in Kazakhstan, which could serve as an alternative to auctions for selecting renewable energy projects. To ensure the effective functioning of this new mechanism, the development of clear legislative rules is deemed appropriate.

Other aspects of bilateral contracts and issues in the balancing market were also discussed. Zhomart Nurkanov noted that the rapid development of renewable energy generation facilities in Kazakhstan and the region is fostering increased interest from leading international equipment manufacturers and Kazakh investors in establishing production facilities in our country. This, essentially, lays the groundwork for creating an industry for the production of almost the entire chain of energy equipment elements, including photovoltaic modules, energy storage systems, towers, generators, and wind turbine blades. This is important for enhancing the country's value and achieving the goal of doubling GDP by 2029. However, investors' aspirations ultimately face the price non-competitiveness of future products due to the lack of sufficient and effective measures to protect the domestic market. Zhomart Nurkanov suggested additional stimulus measures to encourage the use of domestically produced equipment in renewable energy projects, such as exempting these renewable energy facilities from the mandatory requirement to finance renewable energy imbalances and allowing bilateral PPA contracts for these renewable energy projects with capacities of up to 5 MW.

On April 17, 2024, in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, a business forum was held with the participation of leading political and business leaders of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, A.A. Kasymaliev, and the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, S.M. Zhumangarin, opened the forum, the aim of which was to strengthen the trade and economic ties between the two countries.

At the event, which took place ahead of the official visit of the Kyrgyz leader to Kazakhstan, representatives of the business communities discussed prospects and new opportunities for cooperation. Among the major agreements was a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Kazakhstani company TGS-Energy Limited and the National Investment Agency under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. "According to this document, it is planned to implement a project to build a solar power plant in Kyrgyzstan with a capacity of 250 MW and an expected investment volume of up to 200 million US dollars. Thus, the total volume of planned construction of solar power plants in the Kyrgyz Republic by subsidiaries of  'TechnoGroupService' LLP is 300 MW," said Abenov K.G., a Member of the Board of Directors of 'TechnoGroupService' LLP.

A meeting also took place at the EXPO venue with the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in the Issyk-Kul Region, Daliyev U.E., during which the Director of 'Kun Bulagy' LLC Beishenaliev I.A. reported on the current status of the implementation of the 50 MW solar power plant project 'Kun Bulagy' and the approval of the Investment Agreement with the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.