In a major step toward strengthening clean energy cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar and Samruk-Kazyna JSC, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, have signed a strategic collaboration agreement to develop renewable energy and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects across the Central Asian country.
The signing was witnessed by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and His Excellency Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, during a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Astana.
The documents were exchanged by His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, and Nurlan Zhakupov, CEO of Samruk-Kazyna.
Under the agreement, the two entities will explore the development of a pioneering ‘24/7’ baseload renewable energy project of up to 500 megawatts (MW), along with BESS capacity of up to 2 gigawatts (GW). Masdar is already developing a 1GW wind project with a 600MWh battery storage system in Kazakhstan’s Jambyl region—set to become one of the largest wind projects in Central Asia.
The ceremony also included the ratification of an intergovernmental agreement between the UAE and Kazakhstan to officially advance the 1GW wind project, marking a key milestone in the implementation phase.
HE Dr. Sultan Al Jaber emphasized the significance of the partnership: “This agreement builds on the already strong energy partnership between our two countries and will support Kazakhstan’s ambitious renewable energy objectives. By leveraging Masdar’s expertise in renewables and battery storage technology, Kazakhstan will be able to address today’s energy needs while creating new jobs, stimulating its economy and preparing for the growing demands of tomorrow. We look forward to working closely with Samruk-Kazyna and the Government of Kazakhstan to deliver sustainable, secure energy and drive socioeconomic progress.”
Nurlan Zhakupov, CEO of Samruk-Kazyna, highlighted Kazakhstan’s decarbonization commitment: “In line with President Tokayev’s objective of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060, Samruk-Kazyna is strengthening its efforts in low-carbon development, including through partnerships with leading international companies such as Masdar. This agreement represents a step forward toward increasing the share of renewable energy in Kazakhstan’s energy mix, using advanced technologies to support a more sustainable and resilient energy future.”
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said the agreement enhances Masdar’s regional presence: “Kazakhstan is a key strategic partner for Masdar and today’s agreement further strengthens our presence in the country, building on the strong collaboration established through our existing 1GW wind and battery storage project in the Jambyl region. This agreement also strengthens our partnership with Samruk-Kazyna and we will continue to work closely together to support energy security, economic diversification and climate action.”
Supporting Kazakhstan’s Energy Goals
Kazakhstan aims to generate 15% of its electricity from renewables by 2030 and 50% by 2050. At COP28, Masdar signed an agreement with W Solar, Qazaq Green Power (a Samruk-Kazyna Group company), and the Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund to develop the 1GW wind project. The power purchase agreement and investment agreement were signed at COP29 in Baku, with construction set to begin in 2026.
Masdar also recently launched the world’s first gigascale 24/7 solar and battery storage project during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). The groundbreaking UAE-based project includes a 5.2GW solar PV plant and 19GWh BESS, delivering 1GW of baseload power daily—making it the largest combined solar and battery storage project globally.
With abundant solar and wind resources, Central Asia remains a strategic region for Masdar, which has an active presence in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. The company is on track to achieve its target of 100GW global portfolio capacity by 2030.
