Measuring Wind at 3,400 metres: Advancing Utility-Scale Wind Energy in Kyrgyzstan

High in Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan Mountains, a new wind measurement campaign is helping lay the technical groundwork for one of the country’s first utility-scale wind energy projects. In  December 2025, Christoph Bauer, Senior Wind Energy Expert and Technical Director (Wind) at GOPA Tech, installed and commissioned a LiDAR wind measurement device near Uzunbulak Village in Kochkor District, Naryn Region, at an altitude of around 3,400 metres above sea level. The system will generate the wind data needed to support the planning and design of a 100 MW wind farm.

The campaign marks an important early step in preparing large-scale wind power development in Kyrgyzstan. LiDAR measurements are already underway through the winter season, beginning the process of building the dataset required for wind resource assessment, technical design, and investment preparation. 

As snow conditions ease in May this year, the programme will be expanded through the installation of an 80-metre wind measurement mast, adding further depth to the data needed for detailed engineering and bankability assessment under a public-private partnership framework.

The assignment is being carried out for the Asian Development Bank in cooperation with the Public-Private Partnership Center and the Ministry of Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic. Through its transaction advisory support, ADB is helping prepare the project under a PPP modality and establish the basis for future investment in utility-scale wind energy in the country.

Accessing the site required a carefully coordinated mountain logistics effort. Equipment was transported by helicopter to a mountain ridge, then carried further by quad vehicle, before the team completed the final 750-metre ascent on foot. The team worked in temperatures of around minus 5 degrees Celsius and in strong winds, though clear skies and sunshine helped create more favourable conditions for commissioning.

Beyond the technical milestone itself, the installation signals practical progress in expanding Kyrgyzstan’s renewable energy pipeline. It also marks GOPA Tech’s first wind energy project awarded by ADB, reflecting growing engagement in wind energy development across Central Asia.