The development and use of renewable energy sources have become one of the main issues of our time. In our country, much attention is paid to the use of alternative energy sources. One of the first projects in this direction will be the construction of a solar and wind power plant with a total capacity of 10 MW in the Gyzylarbat etrap of the Balkan velayat. The new power plant will be built in accordance with the Action Plan for the implementation of the Conception of the Development of the Region of Turkmen Lake Altyn Asyr for 2019–2025, approved in April 2019 in order to ensure reliable and uninterrupted power supply to consumers in the villages that will appear around Turkmen Lake. The implementation of the unique project in the history of our country will make it possible to increase the potential of the sector, to train national personnel and to create new jobs.

In order to strengthen the renewable energy sector, the Renewable Energy Sources Scientific and Production Center of the State Energy Institute of Turkmenistan has been conducting research for several years to develop and implement innovative technologies and to study the possibilities of using renewable energy sources, modern types of energy-saving technologies, equipment and materials in the economy and social sphere of Turkmenistan.

Solar energy is the most dynamically developing type of renewable energy. Indeed, the climatic and geographical conditions of Turkmenistan allow widely using renewable energy sources in our country. For example, the active use of solar energy and photovoltaic converters and thermal energy in industry, that is, the use of solar collectors will help improve energy supply, especially in rural areas and regions remote from the centralized energy supply system. The use of wind energy, geothermal waters and biofuels opens up good opportunities.

One of the most important areas is the development of scientific foundations for the use of photovoltaic and wind power plants in Turkmenistan. In order to protect the environment and to introduce environmentally friendly green technologies in the country, a project for a photovoltaic solar power plant and its elements has been developed. Specialists have developed the software “Digital system for designing photovoltaic solar power plants”. With its implementation, it has become possible to easily and reliably perform work related to the design of power plants in any region of Turkmenistan.

The software allows accurately and quickly performing calculations when designing photovoltaic installations, and their reliable and efficient operation depends on a number of factors, namely: the geographic coordinates of the location of the station, the angle of inclination of solar panels at a favourable angle to the horizontal plane and the intensity of sunlight. Based on this, it is possible to calculate the amount of electricity that a photovoltaic station can generate during the year, to determine the location of its construction and to study the impact of weather conditions on the parameters of the power plant. The software automatically calculates the wind potential in the selected area at different altitudes. Thus, it is safe to say that the area of ​​Turkmen Lake Altyn Asyr has a great potential for the use of solar and wind energy. 

Jeren ATAMURADOVA,
the Acting Head of the Department of Operations Control and Financial Monitoring of the Dayhanbank State Commercial Bank of Turkmenistan, Deputy of the Halk Maslahaty of Ashgabat