Azerbaijan powers Europe’s green future: A €10 billion energy revolution Article by Diplomatic World Sweden

Diplomatic World Sweden, a website designed for politicians and foreign embassy staff in Sweden, has published an article on Azerbaijan's growing role as a key supplier of green energy to Europe. Caliber.Az reprints the piece with minor modifications.

Azerbaijan plays a leading role in the €10 billion “Green Energy Corridor” project, which stretches from the windswept plains of Central Asia to the heart of Europe, transforming Azerbaijan from a traditional oil nation into the architect of Europe’s sustainable future.

Representatives from Azerbaijan, Hungary, Georgia, Bulgaria and Romania recently gathered in Budapest to push forward plans for what will be the world’s longest undersea power cable – a 1,200-kilometre engineering masterpiece, running through the Black Sea at a depth of 2,200 metres. Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov presented plans for the first phase of the project: an impressive 4 gigawatts of clean electricity to flow to European homes and businesses, with a future capacity of up to 6 gigawatts.

The author emphasises that the country is actively building up clean energy capacity. President Ilham Aliyev’s announcement at COP29 in Baku revealed the country’s lofty ambitions: 6 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2030, with 10 gigawatts already secured – a cosmic increase from today’s 1.7 gigawatts.

The landscape around Baku is already changing. The Karadag solar power plant, sparkling under the rays of the Caspian sun, now generates 230 megawatts of clean energy. By 2026, the winds sweeping over Khizi and Absheron will power a 240-megawatt wind farm – Azerbaijan’s first large-scale wind power venture.

Azerbaijan’s renewable revolution has captured the attention of global investors. The United Arab Emirates’ Masdar has committed to developing 10 gigawatts of clean energy in Azerbaijan by 2030, part of more than $6 billion in foreign investment flowing into the country’s green initiatives. This influx of capital means huge potential for European consumers.

But Azerbaijan’s vision extends far beyond its own borders. At COP29 in Baku, the country signed a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to build a high-voltage transmission line across the Caspian Sea. This strategic move positions Azerbaijan as the crucial bridge between Central Asia’s vast renewable resources and Europe’s growing demand for clean energy.

Kazakhstan, with its ambitious target of 12 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2030, and Uzbekistan, which is aiming for 20 gigawatts of wind and solar power, are now looking to Azerbaijan as their route into the European energy market. Azerbaijan’s role as a hub between these Central Asian power centers and Europe can hardly be overstated.

Although the country has already achieved a lot, Azerbaijan has no plans to slow down. The Black Sea Cable project, which is scheduled to begin in 2029, will be just the beginning of Azerbaijan’s renewable energy journey. With the ongoing expansion of renewable energy facilities, the country is positioned halfway between Europe and Asia – a position that allows Azerbaijan to lead an energy revolution that could reduce Europe’s dependence on the East.

As the sun sets over the Caspian Sea, its rays illuminate Azerbaijan’s emerging landscape of state-of-the-art solar panels and wind turbines. Today, Azerbaijan is determined to continue its energy transition. In the future, this fossil-fuel-rich nation aspires to connect continents and drive sustainable energy supply. The country’s strategic position gives it a central role as the core of the green energy corridor – poised to power European homes for decades to come.