Kyrgyzstan has committed itself to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Despite this goal, the country’s consumption and production of coal is growing rapidly.
Coal combustion is the main source of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate warming. The international community has recognised that gradual moving away from coal in power sector is the most important step towards limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. The main topic of discussion at the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 that will take place at the end of October will be the acceleration of transition from coal.
According to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, global use of coal for generation of electricity in 2030 must decline by 80 per cent as compared to 2010.
“I urge all OECD countries to commit to phasing out coal by 2030, and for non-OECD countries to do so by 2040. Science tells us this is essential to meet the Paris Agreement goals and protect future generations,” Guterres said in his message on the threshold of the COP26.
All these decisions come from the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Kyrgyzstan ratified this document in 2019.
Moreover, president of the republic Sadyr Zhaparov stated at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly that Kyrgyzstan would try to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. He said he placed stakes on hydropower stations.
Sustainable increase of coal production and consumption
The share of coal in the energy budget of the republic is more than half. According to the estimates of the Ministry of Energy and Industry, the annual demand for coal in the country is over 3 million tonnes. The demand has increased more than 4 times in the last decade.
The peak of coal production in Kyrgyzstan was in 1979-1990 and reached 4 million tonnes per year. In the Soviet period, the republic was called “the furnace room of Central Asia.” In early 90s, when the republic gained sovereignty and transitioned to market economy, negative transformations took place in the coal industry, too.
In 1990 to 1995, coal mining declined more than 8 times and did not rise until 2008. Among reasons for the drop in coal mining and use, experts name high coal mining and transportation costs, shift to electric heating because of low electricity rates and its affordability, as well as obsolete coal mining technology.
However, this sector is facing sustainable growth of coal mining in the last decade. In 2020, the country produced almost 2.5 million tonnes of coal.
However, production growth rates do not mean that the coal mining industry is thriving in the country. This sector is currently facing crisis and needs urgent investment. The coal is uncompetitive compared to the imported coal.
“Many coal mines and pits opened 40-50 years ago produce coal that is of low quality, according to globally recognised criteria (low power, steep pitch, high ash content, etc.). The mine stock is exhausted; the equipment used fails to meet up-to-date technology requirements,” according to the National Action Plan for sustainable energy of the Kyrgyz Republic.
Still short of alternatives to coal
The estimate of coal stock in Kyrgyzstan is quite a difficult issue. Figures here vary very much; experts provide different figures – from 2.2 to 8 billion tonnes. The state reserve balance has 29 major and over 20 small deposits and plots with total stock of nearly 1.3 billion tonnes of coal.
The power and economic crisis in the country dictates to use the entire potential of the coal industry of the country. According to Temirbek Akmataliev, candidate of economic sciences, Kyrgyzstan could potentially export approximately 64 million tonnes of coal for 3.84 billion dollars to China in the following ten years.
Almost half of all coal mined in the world is combusted in China. According to Our World in Data, in 2019 Beijing emitted 10.2 billion tonnes of CO2, which amounted almost to one third of global emissions.
According to Chairman of China Xi Jinping speaking at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, China will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad in order to reduce the level of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet.
“Coal will be the main energy resource for China for decades to come. Alternative energy sources will not be playing a significant role in the global energy balance in the next 50 years. The experts predict the “coal century”. The conclusion is that the Kyrgyz coal will always be needed by China. Moreover, in increasing amounts,” economist Temirbek Akmataliev said.
As he said in the interview to CABAR.asia, it is impossible to phase out coal in household use and in economy. The question should be turned around: to what extent it is possible to decrease the proportion of coal in the energy balance of the country.
“Public health, income-generating tourism and ecologically clean products are all convincing factors of the national development. By decreasing the share of coal consumption, we decrease environmental pollution and contribute to making the country more attractive. In the future, Kyrgyzstan will have the most important export commodity – that is nature. So far, we cannot move away from coal because we do not have alternative clean energy sources at hand,” Akmataliev said.
Ecologist Sergei Krivoruchko is sceptical about the accelerated phase-out of coal-fired power industry. According to him, even developed countries that dictate the agenda do not have the alternative yet.
“I think the idea is utopian and wrong based on oncoming climatic changes, rates of economic development of various countries. I do not support the agreements and commitments that force a small country with a very complex economy to “shoot itself in the foot” and move away from energy that is literally next to it and that can be used to sustain the country,” the ecologist said.
Coal phase-out is a matter of time. Where should we head for?
Despite the global attempts to prevent climatic disaster, the authorities of Kyrgyzstan have made unpractical decisions. In 2017, the Bishkek TPP was fully modernised to burn 1.6 million tonnes of coal per year. By comparison: the country’s population consumes 1.1 million tonnes.
According to latest data, 15 per cent of hazardous substances in the air of the capital city are emitted by the TPP. Moreover, Bishkek is surrounded by new residential communities with low gas supply level and no centralised heating. In 2020, during the lockdown, when there was almost no traffic, the MoveGreen environmental movement analysed the air quality. The conclusion of ecologists was that coal burning was one of the main sources of PM2.5 in Bishkek.
The statement of Kyrgyzstan about achieving coal neutrality by the country by 2050 amid the energy crisis raises more questions. According to the Ministry of Energy and Industry, a few HPPs – Toktogul, Uch-Kurgan and At-Bashi – are being reconstructed now. Once the second generating unit of Kambarata HPP-2 is put into operation, the electricity capacity will increase.
In the meantime, President Sadyr Zhaparov suggested at the 76th United Nations General Assembly to establish a special global fund to support mountainous countries in preventing climate change.
“Kyrgyzstan is going to implement a series of HPP construction projects in its territory in phases because HPPs are green power. I am inviting investors to mutually beneficial cooperation in the water-power complex, including under the principle of private-public partnership, in the spirit of the Paris Agreement,” Zhaparov said in his statement.
Experts insist that we should not leave out other alternative power sources. According to ecologist Sergei Krivoruchko, a relevant state body proposed energy recovery from waste.
“In Kyrgyzstan, which is almost full of waste, we could produce the stable amount of electricity from regularly generated waste. Here, the process does not depend on the sun, wind or carbon sources. According to our estimates, the Bishkek landfill site could generate nearly 360 megawatt of electricity. It equals to the electric power of the Bishkek TPP”, the expert said.
However, the question of reclamation of the landfill site remains open for more than one year. The metropolitan authorities promise to solve the issue, build a waste incineration plant and to use the site as farmland.
Main photo: economist.kg
This publication was prepared under the IWPR’s Amplify, Verify, Engage: Information for Democratisation and Good Governance in Eurasia Project funded by the Norwegian Foreign Ministry and the mentorship programme of the Development of New Media and Digital Journalism in Central Asia Project implemented by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) with the support of the UK Government. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the official position of IWPR, Norwegian Foreign Ministry or the Government of the United Kingdom.