Kazakhstan puts energy efficiency at centre of transition

Kazakhstan Energy Week underlined that doubling energy efficiency gains could cut global CO₂ emissions by half by 2040, with officials calling efficiency the cornerstone of a pragmatic and balanced energy transition.

At Kazakhstan Energy Week, senior officials and energy leaders stressed that the world’s transition cannot be achieved through the exclusion of hydrocarbons alone, but rather through cleaner and more efficient use of all resources. Vice minister of energy Sanzhar Zharkeshov said global energy demand could climb by 46% by 2050 compared with 2020, making it critical to optimise every source — oil, gas, coal, nuclear, solar and wind.

“The main task is not to remove sources but to make them cleaner and more efficient,” Zharkeshov told the forum. He said many governments are now pivoting from an overemphasis on rapid decarbonisation toward a more balanced and pragmatic energy policy. For developing countries, he stressed, national realities and individual transition speeds must be respected.

Zharkeshov placed special emphasis on efficiency as the fastest and most cost-effective tool to cut emissions. “By doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvement, global CO₂ emissions could be halved by 2040,” he said. He added that digitalisation and artificial intelligence can transform energy systems, boosting grid reliability, reducing losses, and lowering costs.

Kazakhstan is pursuing what it calls an evolutionary approach to the transition. Hydrocarbons will remain central to its economy but will increasingly be paired with clean technologies such as carbon capture. At the same time, the renewable sector is expanding: 158 facilities with a total capacity above 3.2 GW are already operating. Renewables provided 6.4% of the country’s electricity in 2024, with the government targeting 15% by 2030.

Energy experts at the event agreed that efficiency, supported by innovation and technology, will define the pace and scale of change. For Kazakhstan, the approach blends economic realism with climate ambition, aiming to keep hydrocarbons cleaner while rapidly expanding renewable capacity. The message from Astana was clear: efficiency is not just an add-on but the foundation of the global energy transition.

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