Given the huge natural potential of the Karakum desert, there can be created a regional or even global proving ground for testing the latest technologies, developments and equipment for the use of renewable alternative energy sources. This was stated by Professor Romen Zakhidov from the Institute of Energy and Automation of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, who attended the international scientific conference titled "The use of alternative energy sources in Turkmenistan" in Ashgabat. According to him, "it will give extra impetus for acceleration of development of scientific fields in Turkmenistan and the region as a whole."

According to "Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper, foreign experts, who attended the conference, offered a lot of other promising projects in this area taking into account local specifics. Among them is a project to create a joint compression station with the use of wind energy in the desert areas of Turkmenistan.

Professor Hanno Shaumberg from the Technological University of Hamburg (Germany) presented a forward looking plan, which was developed under the TEMPUS project, for the use of solar energy in Turkmenistan. The project provides for training of local specialists, introduction of the production of base materials (monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon) and the expansion of production technology to the solar modules and complete solar power stations. According to the scientist, "using solar energy, Turkmenistan will be in a position to save a large amount of energy, which is now generated using oil and natural gas."