The Energy Situation in Central Asia: A Comprehensive Energy Review Focusing on Rural Areas

Kedar Mehta, Mathias Ehrenwirth, Christoph Trinkl, Wilfried Zörner and Rick Greenough
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Kedar Mehta: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Mathias Ehrenwirth: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Christoph Trinkl: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Wilfried Zörner: Institute of New Energy Systems, Technische Hochschule, 85049 Ingolstadt, Germany
Rick Greenough: Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-27

Abstract: The northern part of the globe is dominated by industrialisation and is well-developed. For many years, the southern part of the world (South Asia, Africa etc.) has been a target of research concentrating on access to energy (mainly electricity) in rural regions. However, the Central Asian region has not been a focus of energy research compared to South East Asia and Africa. Despite plentiful domestically available energy resources, the energy supply in Central Asia is very unevenly distributed between urban and rural areas. Almost half of the total population of Central Asia lives in rural areas and there is a lack of access to modern energy services to meet primary needs. To analyse the energy situation (i.e., electricity, heating, hot water consumption, cooking, etc.) in rural Central Asia, this paper reviews residential energy consumption trends in rural Central Asian regions as compared to urban areas. Furthermore, the paper illustrates the potential of renewable energies in Central Asia. To perform the study, a qualitative comparative analysis was conducted based on a literature review, data, and statistical information. In summary, the presented article discusses the rural energy situation analytically and provides in-depth insights of Central Asian energy infrastructure.

Keywords: Central Asia; energy resources; rural energy supply; energy services; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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