Indian solar PV EPC company Sterling and Wilson is firming up its plans to enter the Kazakh solar market and expects to receive bids for 180 MW of projects in the month of October 2018 under the 1 GW renewable energy tender issued by the government in March 2018. Solar PV has secured 290 MW capacity to be allocated in the process (see Kazakhstan Launches 1 GW Tender).
By 2020, it wants to have 200 MW of projects under its belt. It has already established a local subsidiary in Kazakhstan with category I license that will be executing its projects.
"International Energy Agency has predicted the demand for energy in the country to double up by the year 2035. The Central Asian country's growing concern of climate change is also one of the factors for the switch to renewables. Sterling and Wilson is exploring all options to support the country in meeting its renewable energy targets," said CEO Bikesh Ogra.
At the end of 2017, Kazakhstan's operational solar energy capacity was only 58 MW. By the end of 2020, the country wants to scale it up to 960 MW.
The Indian company has of late been exploring and has bagged some good solar projects in markets beyond its home turf, including what's being touted as the world's largest single location PV plant to date, the 1,177 MW Sweihan project in Abu Dhabi (see Indian EPC Bags Sweihan Contract). In April 2018, it announced being in discussions with leading developers for 300 MW of solar power capacity in Vietnam (see Indian EPC Plans 300 MW PV In Vietnam).