Abstract
This paper aims to identify the impediments to the development of the renewable energy sector in Kazakhstan through the lens of governance by drawing on the definition of governance as the execution of policy. The paper investigates the execution of the nation's policy on renewables by looking into the investment process, and provides an assessment of governance quality based on the interplay between state capacity and bureaucratic autonomy. Critical impediments to investment in renewables include the multiplicity of provisions and agencies involved; the unstructured and ineffectual relations between renewable energy producers and operators; the ineffectual governance structures and mechanisms; the inconsistent development of the legal and regulatory framework; and the uncertainty regarding the resolution of legal disputes. Assessment of each of these indicates a very high degree of bureaucratic autonomy and limited state capacity, which, complemented by continuous dominance of the oil and gas sector, significantly impedes the government's attempts to expand the renewable energy sector. As reliance on oil and oil revenue continues, in the long-term the nation's energy security is jeopardised. The paper contributes to knowledge by enhancing the understanding of governance of the renewables sector and providing insights into ways to facilitate investment.