BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 31. Azerbaijan offers
significant potential for the development of both onshore and
offshore wind energy and is an attractive country for experienced
wind farm developers considering its abundant wind resources and
consistent wind speeds. As well as increasing its own energy
transition, Azerbaijan’s proximity to other major countries also
offers opportunities to decarbonise industry through the
electrification of their processes, the Director of Industrial
Affairs at WindEurope, the European wind energy industry
association, Phil Cole, told Trend.
"In addition, Azerbaijan is also in an excellent position to be
able to learn from the mistakes that mature wind energy markets
have made over the years and so will be able to avoid these in
order to develop their significant wind resources at pace.
Azerbaijan is well placed to spark interest in wind energy from
other regional countries and lead the development of the technology
in the region. WindEurope’s strategic priorities for supporting
wind energy development in the Caspian region focus on leveraging
the region’s abundant wind and wider renewable energy potential
while also fostering economic, technological, and environmental
benefits," he said.
Cole noted that the Azerbaijani government and industry face
many challenges in developing onshore and offshore wind energy. Key
tasks include setting up a fit-for-purpose auction design that
combines cost considerations and qualitative criteria. It includes
developing a maritime spatial plan and a grid development strategy.
And it includes the simplification of wind energy permitting.
Speaking about the supply of electricity generated by wind farms
to European buyers, he noted the possibility of implementing this
through the Caspian-European "green" energy corridor, an underwater
cable along the bottom of the Black Sea.
''Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding
between WindEurope and the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency in
March 2024, we will support Azerbaijan as it looks to expand its
wind energy potential through the sharing of best practice and
pitfalls to avoid, advising on methods of onshore and offshore wind
deployment and its experience of the European power purchase
agreement market that the interconnector will rely on. In that
sense, our support is regulatory advice,'' he added.
According to him, WindEurope will also continue to connect
policymakers, regulators, and potential electricity off-takers in
Azerbaijan and the EU to progress the project.
