Energy Transition in Central Asia – Strategies, Structures, Opportunities

The smarter E Podcast Episode 240 | October 23, 2025 | Language: English

Central Asia is a region that's rarely in the spotlight in the international energy debate, but has enormous potential. Specifically five countries characterised by a long tradition of fossil fuels, but also by an abundance of sun, wind, and water: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Are these countries already tapping into their potential for a sustainable energy future? We’ll get up to speed in regards to their political strategies and investment programs driving the transformation. What are the biggest hurdles in terms of regulation, financing, and infrastructure? How important are international partnerships in making this region a key player in the global energy transition?

We talk about this with Elena Metzger, Team Leader at the German Energy Agency (dena).

About The smarter E Podcast

The smarter E podcast is all about the current trends and developments in a renewable, decentralized and digital energy industry. Our host welcomes and interviews personalities who shape our industry and drive developments forward. A new episode is published bi-weekly on Thursdays.

Elena Metzger leads the German Energy Dialogues with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). She has been the driving force to shape the Energy Dialogues into a key platform for political and technical exchange on energy efficiency, industrial decarbonization, renewable energies, and green hydrogen. She is also team leader for Central Asia, Türkiye, and the South Caucasus in the International Cooperation Department at the German Energy Agency (dena).

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