From oil to green energy
Baku's role in global energy transition
ANALYTICS 07 July 2023 - 14:10
Khazar Akhundov Caliber.Az |
The oil and gas crisis is forcing the European Union to accelerate its actions as part of the global energy transition by 2030. That is, accelerating the development of renewable energy sources (RES), expanding the use of electric and hydrogen vehicles, introducing energy efficiency systems, etc. Azerbaijan, which is actively cooperating with the EU on energy security and transition to green energy, follows the same path.
Aspects of oil production regulation and prospects of the energy transition were discussed on July 5-6 in Vienna at the 8th international OPEC seminar "Towards Sustainable and Inclusive Energy Transition", which was attended by Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov.
The 8th international seminar of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), organised in the Austrian Imperial Hofburg Palace in Vienna, is one of the landmark events on the energy track. The oil cartel organised the first such global seminar in 1969, but after a pause of more than thirty years, the international forums resumed only in 2001.
Subsequently, six more seminars took place at intervals of several years, the most recent of which was organised in Vienna in 2018 under the theme "Oil Cooperation for a Sustainable Future”. The event attracted a record 950 participants from more than 50 countries. The next workshop was scheduled for 2021 but had to be postponed due to quarantine restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.
And so, the two-day forum on the theme "Towards a Sustainable and Inclusive Energy Transition" kicked off again, with 11 sessions scheduled to discuss various topics related to the global development of the energy industry.
"OPEC+ will continue to address and respond to energy challenges and the organisation's actions will become more effective and transparent," Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said in his remarks during a special introductory session of the seminar.
Efforts to balance supply and demand in the energy market were the main focus of the first day's discussions, while individual presentations also focused on ensuring the stability of energy markets and the challenges of financing them. Several OPEC and OPEC+ ministers took part in the discussions, including the heads of energy agencies in Saudi Arabia and the UAE and the heads of energy companies such as Italy's Eni, Saudi Arabia's Saudi Aramco, France's TotalEnergies, and Austria's OMV. The report of the chairman of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) was also heard.
The leitmotif of the speeches of the cartel members and oil-producing countries participating in the OPEC+ agreement was a call for other producing countries, as well as large consumers of hydrocarbons to join the steps taken by the alliance.
The president of this year's OPEC conference, Equatorial Guinea's Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons Antonio Ondo, voiced a similar opinion: "Increasing the number of OPEC+ participants would add transparency and predictability to the market. Apparently, this position was welcomed by most participants of the seminar: many states, which in the past took a neutral position on the issue of optimising production to stabilise the oil market, are now increasingly inclined to the principled position of OPEC+ to reduce it.”
As the head of the Saudi delegation Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman noted, Russia is very active in this matter: "OPEC was able to verify data on oil production in Russia on the basis of information from seven independent sources, and the organisation will continue to do so every month. Russia's decision to reduce oil exports by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) since August was voluntary on its part. No one is giving orders to anyone, everyone makes such decisions themselves".
At the same time, as UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al-Mazroui said, Saudi Arabia announced a voluntary reduction of oil production not for itself and OPEC+ countries, but for the entire oil market.
"The demand for hydrocarbons is increasing, and there is still a long way to go before the demand plateau that is being talked about - the demand for oil is growing, and there is not enough industry investment," the minister stressed.
On July 5, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov also attended the seminar and joined the "Market Stability and Energy Security" ministerial session. The Azerbaijani minister also held a number of bilateral meetings, including a conversation with European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, Chairman and CEO of Total Energies Patrick Pouyanne.
The Azerbaijani minister clearly expressed his position on the key issue of optimising the oil market and attracting investments into this sector.
"We have to think about the future of the organisation and the future of the oil industry. It is necessary to take into account the issues of investments in the industry, as they are decreasing. We need a broader discussion," Shahbazov said, stressing that at the peak of the industry, global investments in the sector were $900 billion a year, while in 2021 they dropped to $300 billion.
Azerbaijan, as a member country of the OPEC+ agreement and a strategic energy supplier to Europe, is ready to contribute to the energy dialogue, the head of the country's energy ministry wrote on his Twitter page.
"During the OPEC seminar we spoke about the need for diversification and investment in exploration and production for sustainable energy security and a fair energy transition," Shahbazov summarised the results of the first day of the seminar.
As one of the key events in the international energy calendar, this OPEC seminar is designed to shape the future of the global energy industry and its transition to sustainability and address the effects of climate change. According to the seminar program, the second day will focus on the global energy transition, eradicating energy poverty and diversifying economies in the face of climate change, and technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. High-level roundtables, ministerial sessions, and exhibitions will be organised to discuss these topics during the seminar.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan has much to be proud of in the development of sustainable and balanced energy, including those based on alternative energy sources. In particular, on December 17, 2022 an intergovernmental agreement "On Strategic Partnership in the Development and Transmission of Green Energy" was signed which provides the development of wind power generation in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and the laying of electric cables on the Black Sea bed towards South Europe.
At the initial stage via this route, it is planned to transmit 3-4 GW of electric energy but in the long-term prospects, the country has the potential to increase alternative generation up to about 25 GW. Azerbaijan also carries out joint research in the field of "green" hydrogen production and its export to Europe by means of the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline System.
Azerbaijan’s efforts in the development of green energy have not gone unnoticed at the international level. Thus, in a recently published report of the World Economic Forum (WEF) "Promotion of efficient energy transition – 2023,” Azerbaijan has risen to 32nd place among 120 countries on the level of measures taken for transition to sustainable and efficient energy system.
WEF report stresses that Azerbaijan is among the countries that have demonstrated the highest progress for the last 10 years in environmental sustainability and energy diversification. As a leading producer of energy resources, the country is strategically leveraging its vast potential by investing heavily in the renewable energy sector - wind and solar energy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and diversifying its energy portfolio. As a major actor in global energy security, the country has surpassed the global average and, according to WEF experts, is among the nations with the highest progress on the Energy Transition Index from 2022 to 2023.
According to the energy transition index estimates, as of 2023, Azerbaijan ranked 62nd, with a score of 69.6 on the index of productivity in this area, and 50.7 on energy transition readiness. In the aggregate, Azerbaijan took the leading position in the WEF ranking table among the countries of Central Asia, South Caucasus and the CIS region as a whole. For comparison, in this report of the World Economic Forum Georgia was ranked 62nd, Ukraine 64th, Tajikistan 73rd, Kazakhstan 76th and Kyrgyzstan 91st.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Phantom arms deal: How false claims aim to derail Baku-Tehran diplomacy Azerbaijan embraces "forewarned is forearmed" principle
25 July 2024 - 15:34
|
2
|
Could France’s anti-NATO rhetoric trigger domestic turmoil? Leftist Mélenchon's stance sparks historical echoes
24 July 2024 - 10:24
|
3
|
Azerbaijan: The new powerhouse of aluminium production amid global market strain "Green" era's requirement
25 July 2024 - 17:05
|
4
|
Brussels' bait and Yerevan's rush to swallow it The visa-free temptation
24 July 2024 - 09:00
|
5
|
West-backed Armenia likely to spark conflict with Azerbaijan rather than seek peace Caliber.Az reveals expert prognoses
25 July 2024 - 11:10
|
Japan addressing increasing incidents of customer harassment
Service culture under strain27 July 2024 - 03:05
Swiss spots struggle with social media-driven visitor impact
Tourism vs. nature27 July 2024 - 01:03
German chancellor tackles EU expansion, internal reform challenges
Path forward26 July 2024 - 23:03
Italian newspaper explores Azerbaijan's ancient Albanian churches
26 July 2024 - 21:08
Azerbaijani prosecutor general declares ties with Türkiye as strategic partnership
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:55
Azerbaijan, Italy strengthening military relations
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:42
China demands withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe
26 July 2024 - 20:29
Pentagon concedes to spreading anti-Sinovac propaganda in Philippines
26 July 2024 - 20:16
COP29 presidency team hosts events to tackle key climate agenda issues
26 July 2024 - 20:03
Israel targets Türkiye’s TRT Haber team covering Al-Aqsa mosque incident
26 July 2024 - 19:51
COP20 president: Azerbaijan should lead with ambition at COP29
26 July 2024 - 19:38
Turkish defence minister, Azerbaijani ambassador discuss strengthening military ties
26 July 2024 - 19:25
FBI seeking to interview Trump as part of assassination attempt investigation
26 July 2024 - 19:12
US presidential candidate cites potential path to victory with Biden out of race
26 July 2024 - 18:58
Turkish MP confirms plans for official Azerbaijani school in Istanbul
26 July 2024 - 18:44
US vice president’s call for peace in Gaza sparks controversy with Israel
26 July 2024 - 18:30
FM: Italy to appoint ambassador to Syria after 10 years
26 July 2024 - 18:17
Head of Georgian Parliament blames opposition for compromising national safety
Aid to Ukraine at Georgia’s expense26 July 2024 - 18:03
South Caucasus on edge: West fuels Armenia's war drums
Yerevan clings to deceitful rhetoric26 July 2024 - 18:02
Media: Iran arms Hezbollah with advanced weapons
26 July 2024 - 17:49
Bolsonaro intends to run for Brazilian presidency in 2026, citing confidence in winning
26 July 2024 - 17:36
Armenian PM visits modernised Margara checkpoint on Turkish border
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 17:22
Boeing considers to convert its top fighter into an electronic warfare jet
Caliber.Az on YouTube26 July 2024 - 17:17
Belarus ready to expand cooperation with North Korea
26 July 2024 - 17:09
EU appoints new special representative for South Caucasus
26 July 2024 - 17:01
Azerbaijani-Chinese partnership defies "first among equals" attitudes
Rising above geopolitical cynicism26 July 2024 - 16:55
Armenia's militarization: A "peace agenda" with an armed approach
Yerevan must revisit recent historical lessons26 July 2024 - 16:42
Azerbaijan approves cooperation pacts with Türkiye, Kazakhstan
26 July 2024 - 16:33
Media: US informs Iran of readiness to return to nuclear deal
26 July 2024 - 16:29
Turkish forces take down PKK terrorists in coordinated Iraq and Syria raids
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 16:16
Israeli air strikes hit Hezbollah outposts in response to rocket fire
26 July 2024 - 16:03
Kremlin spox: EU ridicules Orban over Moscow visit
26 July 2024 - 15:51
Armenian parliamentary delegation visits Georgia to strengthen bilateral ties
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Washington talks peace while arming Yerevan
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Travellers from 13 nations explore rebuilding of Karabakh, East Zangazur
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 15:25
European Commission transfers €1.5 billion from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine's defence
26 July 2024 - 15:25
Trump says US to destroy Iran in case of his assassination
26 July 2024 - 15:12
Kremlin declares dialogue with West futile amid hostility toward Russia
26 July 2024 - 14:59
Somalia, Azerbaijan share common positions on many international forums
Minister’s statement26 July 2024 - 14:46
Azerbaijan promoting tourism potential in India
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 14:33