Baku along the Caspian Sea coast is welcoming a new opportunity for green energy cooperation. During the Caspian Sea Black Sea European Green Energy Corridor Forum, a business meeting on the future of regional electricity was held here. Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov held face-to-face consultations with Zhao Yongli, Chairman of China Datang Overseas Investment Corporation, who came from afar. The two sides exchanged views on large-scale new energy projects and opportunities for regional energy interconnection, writing new footnotes for green and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries. In recent years, many Chinese companies have been deeply involved in the construction of new energy in Azerbaijan, and projects such as Gobstan Photovoltaic have been successfully implemented, laying a solid foundation for cooperation in this new round of project negotiations.

New project opens for cooperation negotiations

The total installed capacity of the projects connected by both parties this time is 300 megawatts, including 100 megawatts of solar power plants and 200 megawatts of offshore wind power projects. At present, the entire project is still in the stage of negotiation and promotion, and the relevant investment amount and construction schedule have not been disclosed to the public.

This meeting is conducted on the platform of the Green Energy Corridor Forum. In addition to the project itself, both parties have fully communicated about the potential opportunities for China Datang to participate in the construction of the Green Energy Corridor. Azerbaijan has considerable scenic resources, abundant offshore wind energy reserves in the Caspian Sea, superior onshore lighting conditions, and innate conditions for large-scale development of clean energy. It has also attracted energy companies from multiple countries to set up operations in the People's Daily.

Anchoring the development goals of renewable energy

Expanding the proportion of renewable energy is a priority direction in Azerbaijan's energy strategy, and the country is continuously promoting the expansion of electricity production capacity and accelerating the diversified transformation of its energy structure. According to the plan, after various new energy projects are gradually implemented, the proportion of renewable energy in the country's energy structure will increase to 43% by 2035.

The adjustment of energy structure will bring chain economic benefits, and domestic natural gas consumption can be effectively compressed, freeing up more natural gas resources for export. At present, there are several photovoltaic wind power projects under construction in Azerbaijan, with participation from various market entities such as BP Masdar Akua Electric Power, China Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment Azerbaijan National Oil Company Green Energy Company, and Chinese enterprises have become an important force in local new energy construction.

Layout of cross regional energy interconnection network

The green energy corridor is the core lever for Azerbaijan to promote regional energy layout, and the Central Asia Azerbaijan green energy corridor is a key initiative for promotion. Among them, the Trans Caspian Energy Corridor plans to connect the power grids of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. This interconnection network will also expand and form an intermediate corridor connecting Azerbaijan in Asia and Europe via the Caspian Sea, and strengthen the energy ties between Eurasia.

The joint venture called the Green Corridor Alliance has officially started operations in Baku, responsible for coordinating feasibility studies funded by the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Several transnational energy interconnection lines are advancing synchronously, including the Caspian Sea Black Sea European Green Energy Corridor, the Azerbaijani Türkiye European line, and the Azerbaijani Georgia Türkiye Bulgaria line. Keywords: green energy, China Arab cooperation, energy corridor

Javid Abdullayev, Director of the Renewable Energy Agency under the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan, stated that Azerbaijan is no longer just a traditional energy exporting country, but also a initiator of regional energy connectivity and green energy corridors. The implementation of wind and photovoltaic projects will strengthen the country's energy security and amplify its ability to export electricity. Digging into the offshore wind energy resources, building a new transmission network, and promoting the construction of green corridors can further enhance Azerbaijan's role in the European energy security system. The implementation of clean energy projects can also create new export revenue, optimize the domestic energy supply and demand pattern, shift more fossil energy to overseas markets, and help the overall green transformation of the region.Editor/Huang jiali