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Kazakhstan is launching a major industrial push into the downstream sector, with six coal-to-chemicals projects currently underway or under evaluation. The Ministry of Energy announced the strategy as part of a broader national effort to maximize the economic value of the country’s rapidly expanding coal sector and utilize its vast domestic reserves for higher-margin manufacturing.
Kazakhstan holds approximately 33.6 billion tonnes of coal reserves. Its primary deposits are concentrated in the central regions of Karaganda, Turgai, Shubarkol, and Zhalyn, as well as the northeastern fields of Ekibastuz, Maikube, and Karazhyra. While the country has heavily focused on boosting raw production, investments, and thermal coal exports this year, this new initiative marks a decisive pivot toward advanced processing.
Three major projects have already moved into active implementation to anchor the country’s industrial coal hubs:
Pavlodar & Karaganda Diesel Plants: Two separate facilities are being built in these major coal-producing provinces, each engineered with a capacity to produce roughly 100,000 tonnes per year of synthetic diesel directly from coal.
Karaganda Metallurgical Coke Plant: A massive specialized facility is currently under construction, targeting a production capacity of 1 million tonnes per year to supply the metallurgical sector.
The Ministry of Energy is also reviewing three additional downstream projects to further diversify the country’s chemical output:
Advanced Coke-Chemical Facility: Planned for Karaganda, this unit will focus on coal tar processing, benzene production, and advanced coke oven gas purification.
Ammonia and Urea Complex: Slated for development in the eastern, coal-rich Abay region to support the agricultural and chemical sectors.
Coal Gasification Plant: A dedicated project focused on synthetic gas production from coal is under consideration, with the Ministry currently evaluating the optimal geographic site for construction.
State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) reduced greenhouse gas emissions across its operations in Azerbaijan by approximately 1 million tonnes of C02 equivalent, according to its newly published 2025 Sustainability Report.
The primary driver behind the emissions drop was the implementation of the Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program at SOCAR’s Azneft Production Union.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has officially inaugurated the 220/110/10 kV Yeni Sangachal substation, marking a major milestone in integrating renewable energy generation with the country's national grid and strategic oil and gas assets.
The project represents a shift in national energy strategy, moving from isolated decarbonization efforts toward a unified grid framework designed to increase system efficiency, boost natural gas export capacity, and secure long-term energy sustainability.
Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Energy is actively backing domestic solar installations, according to Energy Minister Altynbek Rysbekov, as reported by 24.kg.
Under current policy guidelines, residential households can deploy rooftop solar panels with generating capacities up to 15 kW. Installations operating under this limit are fully exempt from licensing requirements when feed-in surplus power is transferred back into the national grid.