BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 11. Azerbaijan could
free up 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas by developing renewables
and upgrading its power grid, Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur
Soltanov said, Trend’s correspondent at the event reports.


He made the remark at the event “Technovation – Science and
Innovation for Sustainable Economic Transformation,” organized by
the American Chamber of Commerce in Azerbaijan (AmCham Azerbaijan)
in Baku.


"Azerbaijan continues to diversify its energy mix by increasing
the share of renewable energy sources, which frees up natural gas
for export. Previously, about 95% of Azerbaijan’s electricity
generation relied on natural gas. Replacing part of the generation
with renewable energy sources allows for the release of natural gas
volumes, which have high export value. Azerbaijan plans to increase
the capacity of renewable energy sources to 2 gigawatts by 2027 in
cooperation with its strategic partner Masdar. “As part of the
modernization of the energy system, facilities in Mingachevir are
being upgraded, including the replacement of outdated turbines,
which has improved generation efficiency,” he said.


According to him, the combined effect of the new capacity and
modernization will free up about 1.5 billion cubic meters of
natural gas, which is comparable to the volume of a large gas
field.


Soltanov noted that integrating renewable energy sources into
the power grid requires modernizing the power grid infrastructure,
with investments of approximately $500 million.







He emphasized the need to ensure the economic viability of
energy projects alongside considerations of energy security and
environmental goals.


According to him, the country's limitations, including
geographical and infrastructural characteristics, as well as the
complexity of scaling projects, are taken into account when
implementing energy policy.


Furthermore, Soltanov noted that Azerbaijan possesses
significant energy potential, including in the Caspian region,
which simultaneously presents both opportunities and infrastructure
challenges.


He added that the priority of energy policy is to achieve a
balance between environmental goals, energy security, and the
economic sustainability of projects.