Southern Gas Corridor, green energy initiatives take centre stage at Baku ministerial meetings

The European Commission has published an article covering press statements from European Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, and Azerbaijan's Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov at the 11th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and 3rd Green Energy Advisory Council. Caliber.Az reprints the article.

The Ministerial meeting of the 11th Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and 3rd Green Energy Advisory Council was convened in Baku today. Representatives from 24 partner governments and 52 institutions and companies joined us for this important occasion.

The meeting highlighted the steadfast commitment of the European Union and the Republic of Azerbaijan to their strategic partnership in the field of energy, which covers affordable, stable, and secure natural gas supply, the promotion of renewable energy, energy efficiency, hydrogen production, the reduction of methane emissions, and the protection of the environment.

Southern Gas Corridor

The Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council emphasized the crucial role of the SGC as a transmission system delivering Azerbaijani gas to more and more customers in a reliable and competitive manner. Regional partners acknowledged the successful operations of the SGC for the fourth consecutive year, which represents a significant contribution to the EU’s diversification of energy supply. Azerbaijan and its company SOCAR supplied more than 25 billion cubic meters of natural gas, including about 13 bcm to EU Member States, marking a 57 per cent increase from the 2021 level. The Advisory Council discussed on-ongoing developments in the gas production and transmission infrastructure, as well as requirements and conditions for financing and investments in view of further increasing supplies in the coming years. The meeting also highlighted the importance of initiatives such as, Global Methane Pledge and the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 in helping to mitigate and abate methane emissions.

Green Energy

The Green Energy Advisory Council discussed renewed efforts in the areas of energy efficiency gains and renewable energy capacity development across the region. It praised the Republic of Azerbaijan for hosting the annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku in November 2024, which successfully concluded work on its main mandates. Some participants emphasized the importance of the three COP29 energy initiatives on storage and grids, green energy zones and corridors and hydrogen and how these initiatives contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement and the acceleration of the global energy transition. The Council particularly highlighted the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge championed by the Azerbaijani COP Presidency and supported by more than 100 countries.

The meeting also discussed several green energy corridor projects facilitated by Azerbaijan, designed to deliver the abundant green energy resources of Azerbaijan and Central Asia to Europe. These projects aim to enhance energy connectivity and drive the transition to sustainable energy in the wider region.

Minister Shahbazov said:

“In light of today’s global challenges, we have reaffirmed the importance of energy supply diversification. Natural gas remains a significant pillar of energy security, and continued investment in gas fields and infrastructure is crucial. The EU’s extensive support is essential for further expanding the Southern Gas Corridor and addressing supply gaps. At the same time, green energy interconnector projects will enhance Europe’s energy security and accelerate the shift to sustainable energy.”

Commissioner Jørgensen said:

'Today’s meetings highlight our joint efforts to improve energy security and support the shift to cleaner energy in Southeastern Europe. I’m happy to see many partners’ interest in expanding gas supplies through the Southern Gas Corridor in the coming years and creating new trade routes for renewable energy.'

On the sidelines of the main proceedings, Minister Shahbazov and Commissioner Jørgensen joined in a meeting with Georgian, Romanian, Hungarian and Bulgarian Ministers to take stock of recent progress under the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe Green Energy Corridor Project. They also co-chaired an EU-Azerbaijan business roundtable on offshore wind energy development in the Caspian Sea.