Ministry: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan plan to export 5-7 gigawatts of clean energy to Europe annually

Azerbaijan aims to export 5 gigawatts of clean electricity to Europe every year, according to Ashraf Shikhaliyev, Head of the International Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Energy.

This announcement was made during the event titled "Tripling Renewable Energy by 2030: A Foundation for Rapid Renewable Energy Development in Central Asia," held as part of COP29, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Shikhaliyev noted that Uzbekistan plans to export 5 gigawatts of its electricity, while Kazakhstan is targeting an export capacity of 5 to 7 gigawatts.

"This strategic approach is seen as a significant step toward positioning Central Asia and Azerbaijan as key players in the global energy transition," he said.

He emphasized that mega-projects are crucial for achieving ambitious renewable energy goals, as they attract the attention of investors.

"Unlike low-yield projects, investors prefer large and reliable ventures. The Azerbaijani government is developing large-scale projects in this direction, such as the installation of wind power plants in the Caspian Sea and the transmission of the energy generated at these plants to Romania and Hungary via an underwater cable through the Black Sea. This way, clean energy will be directly supplied from Caspian Sea wind farms to European countries," Shikhaliyev explained.

Shikhaliyev highlighted that these projects are aimed at creating an energy link between Europe and Central Asia.

"This year, the development of a feasibility study will begin for a project to connect the electrical systems of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan. As part of this initiative, energy will be transmitted from Kazakhstan to Azerbaijan through an underwater cable across the Caspian Sea and then onward to Europe. Additionally, Azerbaijan has another energy corridor to Europe via Turkey," he added.

These projects, according to Shikhaliyev, will bring the renewable energy potential of both Azerbaijan and Central Asian countries to the global market, further solidifying their roles in the worldwide energy landscape.

By Khagan Isayev