Published
03/19/2026, 16:43Central Asian countries are demonstrating various models of energy development, striking a balance between security, accessibility and sustainability. This was outlined by Demir Kabybaev, a senior analyst at the Eurasian Development Bank, in an analysis based on the ‘energy trilemma’ approach.
Kazakhstan, for instance, demonstrates a relatively high level of energy security – 62.4 points out of 100 – whilst energy affordability reaches 79.8 points. However, the sustainability score remains lower – 52.5 points.
Tajikistan, by contrast, demonstrates a higher level of sustainability – 67.9 points – but lags behind in terms of affordability (58.8) and security (51.8).
By comparison, developed countries demonstrate more balanced indicators. For example, Sweden scores 73.4 points for security, 93.4 for affordability and 85 for sustainability.
According to Kabylbayev, countries in the region are forced to make compromises: improving energy affordability is often achieved at the expense of sustainability or underinvestment in infrastructure, whilst improving environmental performance requires additional resources and reforms.
As a result, the current model of energy development in Central Asia remains a compromise and requires structural changes to achieve a balance across all three areas.
