From 2023 on, Azerbaijani gas can be supplied to Serbia, which further expands the geography of Azerbaijani energy supplies and increases the importance of Azerbaijan as an important energy partner of Europe, Report informs.
The working visit of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to Azerbaijan ended yesterday, during which the presidents of the two countries discussed, among other things, energy cooperation.
This issue is of particular importance, given that European countries dependent on Russian gas have begun to look for new sources of gas, and, of course, Azerbaijan has become their main partner.
"Of course, the energy sector is a part of our cooperation. The importance of this area has been on the increase lately. Azerbaijan's natural resources are already being exported in various directions, including the European continent and countries that are Serbia's neighbors. There are opportunities for cooperation in both natural gas and electricity. Relevant negotiations have been held. I am sure that tangible steps will be taken to export Azerbaijan's electricity to Serbia starting next year," President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in a press statement after meeting his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic.
The appeals of the EU to Azerbaijan, especially of the countries of Eastern Europe, who turned out to be the most vulnerable to a shortage of energy resources due to the crisis stemming from the war in Ukraine, once again showed the importance of Azerbaijan's role in ensuring the energy security of the Old World.
On November 16, the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Romgaz of Romania signed a contract for gas supply from Azerbaijan to Romania from January 1, 2023. The agreement provides for the planned natural gas transportation through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) from January 1, 2023. The deal, which ensures the supply of Azerbaijani gas to a new buyer in Europe, serves Azerbaijan's strategic goals of diversifying gas supplies and ensuring the diversification of energy sources for this European country.
On December 17, the "Agreement on a strategic partnership in the field of green energy development and transmission between the Governments of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary" was signed in Bucharest.
"Our country is planning to become an important supplier of electric energy to Europe, mainly green energy. Azerbaijan's renewable energy potential is more than 27 gigawatt of wind and solar power on shore, and 157 gigawatt of wind power in Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea," President Aliyev said in Bucharest on December 17, where the deal was inked.
In fact, the foundation for expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Europe was laid back in July 2022, during the visit of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to Azerbaijan, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between Azerbaijan and the EU on a strategic partnership in the field of energy.
The launch of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) in 2020 also contributed to strengthening cooperation between Azerbaijan and Europe. The SGC, which includes the development of the Shah Deniz field and a chain of gas pipelines originating in Azerbaijan and stretching to southern Italy, was created to diversify natural gas supplies from Azerbaijan to the EU.
Thus, Azerbaijan continues cooperation with European countries in the energy sector, expands it and remains a reliable supplier of EU energy resources.