Azerbaijan, together with Türkiye, is working to expand regional cooperation in green energy and increase electricity export capabilities to Europe, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Energy Orkhan Zeynalov said while answering journalists' questions at the Azerbaijani pavilion opened within the COP31, Report informs.
The deputy minister noted that the formation of new energy links between Central Asia, the Caspian Basin, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Europe, and the Black Sea region is of strategic importance.
As part of this initiative, for the first time, it is planned to integrate the power systems of Azerbaijan and Central Asia via a subsea cable laid across the bottom of the Caspian Sea.
According to Zeynalov, Azerbaijan and Türkiye, as in traditional energy, play a leading role in the development of green energy in the region. This cooperation will contribute to strengthening the energy security not only of Europe but also of other regions.
"An intergovernmental agreement has been signed between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye, and Bulgaria on the creation of a new energy corridor. The project provides for the transmission of electricity from Azerbaijan to Georgia, and then through Türkiye and Bulgaria to Europe," he noted.
Zeynalov added that opportunities for exporting electricity from mainland Azerbaijan to Türkiye via the Zangazur Corridor and Nakhchivan are being discussed.
According to analysis by private consortia, electricity demand with a capacity of 1 GW may arise in the western regions of Türkiye, particularly near Istanbul.
The deputy minister emphasized that electricity transmission along the Nakhchivan – Erzurum – Istanbul route could also become a commercially promising project.
According to him, the possibility of connecting Türkiye via the Black Sea to the green energy corridor uniting Azerbaijan, Georgia, Hungary, and Romania is being discussed.
Preliminary negotiations have already been conducted in this direction, he said.
Zeynalov noted that the planned energy corridors complement each other.
Thus, in the future, electricity coming from Central Asia through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to Azerbaijan can be transmitted both across the Black Sea and along the Zangazur Corridor – Nakhchivan – Türkiye route.
Currently, the Caspian – Black Sea – Europe energy corridor project is at a more advanced stage of implementation.
According to him, the feasibility study for the project has already been completed.
The deputy minister informed that it is planned to make a final investment decision in 2028–2029, and in 2032 to commission the first line: "It is assumed that its transmission capacity will be 1.3 GW."