Comparing renewable energy pathways in Russia and Kazakhstan
Why would hydrocarbon-rich countries support renewable energy? More broadly, how do they see their place in a decarbonizing global economy, and what role does geopolitics play in shaping their strategies? This PhD thesis explores these questions by comparing two Eurasian oil and gas producers, Russia and Kazakhstan.
The research finds that both countries are engaging with renewable energy, but for different strategic reasons. Because its state revenues and geopolitical influence are closely tied to fossil fuel exports, Russia long downplayed the energy transition. When it eventually began developing decarbonisation policies, it sought to build on existing strengths such as nuclear power, hydropower, and vast forests as carbon sinks. At the same time, a small group of policy entrepreneurs and business actors succeeded in securing limited state support for renewables by framing them in terms of other government priorities, such as industrial modernisation, technological sovereignty, and energy security.
Kazakhstan’s leadership, by contrast, has approached renewables as a way to enhance the country’s international reputation and attract foreign investment. The government has worked closely with international financial institutions, foreign advisors, and the local business community. It adopted support mechanisms based on international experience, accepting dependence on imported technologies in exchange for rapid deployment.
Despite these differences, neither country plans to phase out fossil fuels. Instead, renewables are being added to economies that remain fundamentally based on hydrocarbons. Overall, the findings show that hydrocarbon-rich states engage with the energy transition selectively, supporting clean technologies where they reinforce their core economic and political interests.