“Azerbaijan, as I said, is in the active phase of green transition, but at the same time, no one can ignore the fact that without fossil fuel, the world cannot develop, at least in the foreseeable future,” he said.
In the same speech he said that hosting COP29 is an “honour” that demonstrated his country’s serious commitment to tackling climate change.
How is Azerbaijan becoming a greener energy producer and user?
One of the main ways Azerbaijan is improving its green credentials is through wind and solar projects.
In the eyes of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Azerbaijan’s renewable energy development potential is considerable thanks to its excellent solar and wind resources and significant biomass, geothermal and hydropower prospects.
The agency says Azerbaijan has significant untapped renewable energy potential thanks to the relatively sunny and windy nature of the country.
Part of its transition away from its significant oil and gas reliance, it has been transitioning in the past few years. Examples include how in early 2020, major contracts to build wind and solar power capacity were signed and its parliament approved a law on the use of renewable energy resources in electricity production in May 2021.
The country aims to realise close to 2GW of new renewable capacity by 2027, increasing the share of renewables in its installed capacity to a third through the likes of the development of wind farms in the Caspian Sea.
