Muslim nations pledge to push renewables, storage and microgrids

September 13, 2017
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The Islamic world’s first ever Science and Tech summit. Credit: OIC. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Kazakhstan

Officials from 56 Muslim-majority nations have come together to pledge new climate-related technology goals that included promoting microgrids, energy storage and renewable energy targets.

The Islamic world’s first ever Science and Tech summit, which ended last night in Astana, Kazakhstan, involved heads of state and government ministers from 56 Muslim majority nations. All countries pledged to increase investment in science as a way of addressing energy, food, water, health and climate change challenges. The summit included the presidents of Turkey, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan among others.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The countries have pledged to reduce greenhouse gases by targeting 10% renewable energy shares in the national energy mixes of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) States by 2025.

They also plan to introduce microgrids and encourage distributed standalone systems for small communities.

The countries will also design and develop energy storage systems such as fuel cells and batteries using lithium-ion and vanadium redox technolgies for small storage applications.

Other pledges by the OIC nations involved nuclear energy, addressing food and water shortages, space exploration, managing big data, education and health.

OIC assistant secretary general for Science and Technology ambassador Naeem Khan, said: “As more people in the Islamic world emerge out of poverty, energy demand is increasing. This is being aggravated by climate change, with many OIC countries inhabiting climate-sensitive regions already facing desertification and degradation of land and water. Several studies have also shown a link between climate change and the subsequent effect on drought, food prices and the outbreak of conflict.

“Energy consumption and production is a major challenge in the Islamic world where many of the OIC’s 57-member states are well placed to harness the power of renewables, yet also still rely heavily in traditional fossil fuels.”

“In order for OIC member states to create a diverse energy mix that incorporates renewable energies, scientific and technological advancements will be essential. That includes advancements in energy storage technologies, greater use of distributed microgrids to integrate renewable energy and research efforts into solar cell efficiencies.”

The declaration can be found here.

Read Next

October 23, 2025
Solar PV technology has maintained its leading position as the most cost-competitive power generation source in 2025, according to analyst Wood Mackenzie.
October 21, 2025
Australia's solar-plus-storage sector gained momentum with 725MW of solar PV approvals advancing across New South Wales and Queensland.
October 17, 2025
Norwegian renewable energy firm Scatec has signed lease agreements for 64MW of solar PV and 10MWh of energy storage capacity in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
October 10, 2025
Australia's renewable energy sector recorded its slowest month of the year for additions in September, with 5.8GW of new projects added to development pipelines, according to data from Rystad Energy.
October 9, 2025
Solar PV is the world’s cheapest technology to generate electricity, according to a study from the University of Surrey, in the UK.
October 8, 2025
The NSW Independent Planning Commission has granted planning approval for Potentia Energy's 500MW Tallawang solar-plus-storage project.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Lisbon, Portugal