Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar has formally broken ground on its 1-gigawatt (GW) wind farm in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region, marking the company’s first renewable energy project in the country.
The project is one of the largest integrated wind and battery energy storage developments in Central Asia, representing an investment of $1.4 billion.
It includes a 600-megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) to support grid stability and improve the integration of renewable energy into the electricity network.
The project is being developed by Masdar in partnership with W Solar, Qazaq Green Power, a Samruk-Kazyna Fund company, and the Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund.
The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by senior government officials and representatives from the UAE and Kazakhstan.
Upon completion, the wind farm is expected to generate enough electricity to supply approximately 880,000 homes in southern Kazakhstan while reducing around 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
The project also includes the construction of more than 400 kilometers of overhead transmission lines, supporting improvements to the region’s electricity transmission network.
RTC clean energy project
In addition to the wind farm, Masdar signed a roadmap agreement with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development to advance the country’s first Round-the-Clock (RTC) clean energy project.
The proposed project provides utility-scale clean electricity on a continuous basis. Its initial phase is planned to deliver up to 200 MW of baseload power for data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The roadmap agreement establishes the framework for project development, including site identification, technical assessments, and coordination with relevant stakeholders.
Nurlan Zhakupov, Chief Executive Officer of Samruk-Kazyna, stated that the project marks an important stage in the partnership between Kazakhstan and the UAE and supports Kazakhstan’s efforts to expand renewable energy capacity and develop a lower-carbon economy.
Yerlan Akkenzhenov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, underscored that the collaboration with Masdar will contribute to renewable energy development, strengthen regional energy security, and support the deployment of advanced technologies in the country’s energy sector.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, emphasized that the wind farm represents the company’s first project in Kazakhstan and further expands its renewable energy portfolio in Central Asia.
Al Ramahi added that the roadmap agreement supports the future deployment of round-the-clock renewable energy solutions for industrial and digital infrastructure.
Engineer Hamad Al Ameri, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Dhabi Holding, noted that the project reflects the company’s long-term investment strategy in clean energy infrastructure through its partnership with Masdar and subsidiary W Solar.
Rep Image | Credits: Magnific | Cropped by GBN
Supporting renewable energy targets
The proposed RTC project builds on Masdar’s wider renewable energy program. In October 2025, the company began construction of its first round-the-clock solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi, comprising a 5.2GW (DC) solar photovoltaic plant and a 19-gigawatt-hour battery energy storage system, designed to provide up to 1GW of continuous baseload power.
The Kazakhstan projects support the country’s renewable energy targets of increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity generation to 15 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050.
They also strengthen Masdar’s presence in Central Asia, where it already has projects in several countries, while contributing to the company’s target of reaching 100GW of global renewable energy capacity by 2030.
