OSCE seminar discusses use of renewable energy sources for transmission of electricity in Turkmenistan

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized an online seminar on 25 and 26 April 2022, focusing on transmission of electricity generated by solar, wind and combined stations to the central grid.

The two-day seminar brought together the lecturers and students of the Turkmen State Energy Institute and officials from the Ministry of Energy of Turkmenistan. The purpose of the seminar was to present the best practices of the OSCE participating States in introducing feasibility studies as well as methods and calculations for connecting electric power plants based on renewable energy sources to power grids.

Opening the session, Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, referred to the 2013 Ministerial Council decision on improving the environmental footprint of energy-related activities. The decision called on the OSCE participating States to pursue energy diversification, through supporting further development and use of renewable energy, and sharing best practices.

"Today's discussion advances the priorities set by the Government of Turkmenistan and focuses on the promotion of energy transit, energy security, energy saving and energy efficiency through sustainable utilization of natural gas and oil products, and the increased use of alternative energy sources", said Markovic-Boskovic.

"For a number of years, the Centre has been extensively working in transferring knowledge and delivering capacity building activities for relevant governmental officials as well as students and teaching staff of Turkmen State Energy Institute, on energy efficiency, energy saving, sustainable utilization of natural gas and oil products and alternative sources of energy", she added.

She also mentioned that the Centre contributed to the development and implementation of several strategic documents such as the National Strategy for Development of Renewable Energy in Turkmenistan until 2030, Programme for the Development of Energy Diplomacy of Turkmenistan for 2021-2025, National Climate Change Strategy and the State Program for Energy Saving 2018-2024.

Two international experts from Belarus presented methodology for developing a scheme of connecting renewable energy-based plants to the electricity grid, and elaborated on problems and solutions for integrating variable renewable energy sources into the electricity grid.