Masdar breaks ground on $1.4 billion wind project in Kazakhstan
Masdar has broken ground on a 1 GW wind farm in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region, marking the company’s first renewable energy project in the country.
The $1.4 billion development is one of the largest integrated wind and battery energy storage projects in Central Asia.
It will combine a 1GW wind farm with a 600 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) designed to improve grid stability and support the integration of renewable energy.
Once operational, the facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power around 880,000 homes in southern Kazakhstan while avoiding approximately 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
The development also includes the construction of more than 400 kilometres of overhead transmission lines to strengthen the region’s electricity network.
Hitting renewable goals
The project is being led by Masdar in partnership with W Solar, Qazaq Green Power, a Samruk-Kazyna Fund company, and the Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund.
The Zhambyl wind project supports Kazakhstan’s target of sourcing 15% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030, rising to 50% by 2050. It also contributes to Masdar’s ambition of expanding its global renewable energy portfolio to 100GW by 2030.
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, said, “Our partnership with Masdar drives renewable energy development and propels Kazakhstan toward carbon neutrality,” adding that “This project will strengthen regional energy security and bring cutting-edge technologies to the renewable energy sector.”
New RTC project announced
Alongside the ceremony, Masdar signed a roadmap agreement with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development to explore the country’s first Round-the-Clock (RTC) clean energy project.
The initiative aims to provide continuous utility-scale renewable power and in its initial phase could supply up to 200 MW of baseload electricity for data centres and AI infrastructure.
The agreement will support site identification, technical studies, and stakeholder engagement as the project advances.
Masdar Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said that this project would help deliver reliable and affordable clean energy for Kazakhstan’s emerging industries.
Warming bilateral relations
The Kazakhstan initiative builds on Masdar’s growing portfolio of large-scale renewable energy projects.
In 2025, the company broke ground on a 24/7 solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi, combining a 5.2 GW solar photovoltaic plant with a 19 GWh BESS capable of delivering up to 1 GW of continuous baseload power.
Nurlan Zhakupov, Chief Executive Officer of Samruk-Kazyna, described the project as an important milestone in the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the UAE.
“The 1GW wind farm opens a new chapter in the cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates and reflects our shared commitment to advancing a low-carbon economy, deploying innovative technologies and building a sustainable energy future for Kazakhstan.”
