Kazakhstan Expands Chinese-Backed Waste-To-Energy Plants

Kazakhstan is negotiating an agreement with China Tianying Inc. to expand waste-to-energy facilities in at least three major cities. The country currently sends most municipal waste to landfill, generating between 4.2 and 4.8 million tons annually.

Existing Chinese-backed plants in Almaty, Astana, and Shymkent are designed to process 4,500 metric tons of waste daily and generate 134 megawatts of electricity. This expansion follows limited progress in waste management.

In 2024, only 1.1% of Kazakhstan’s municipal waste, 49,200 tons, was processed into secondary raw materials. The government hopes to attract investors with a state-set electricity tariff of up to $0.12 per kilowatt-hour.

The move raises questions about the balance between energy recovery and the development of a domestic recycling industry. Kazakhstan is also exploring smaller facilities for regional cities and piloting electronic waste recycling programs. The success of the expansion will depend on the effectiveness of emissions controls and pre-processing to remove recyclable materials.