Given the increase in renewable energy production, Azerbaijan will be able to supply Europe with more gas than the planned volume, Matthew Bryza, Board Member of the Jamestown Foundation and former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Report.
“Azerbaijan has stated that it would like to double the supply of natural gas to Europe from 10 billion cubic meters to 20 billion. These additional 10 billion cubic meters can definitely be sold to all European countries. But I am also convinced that there will be even more volumes. I think that twice as much gas can come from Azerbaijan as the country increases the production of renewable energy. And the more renewable energy Azerbaijan produces, the less natural gas it needs to use for its own electricity generation,” he said.
The expert also noted that the country that will benefit the most from an increase in the volume of Azerbaijani gas supplies is Bulgaria.
“Bulgaria does not have much demand for natural gas. It uses about 3 or 3.2 billion cubic meters per year. Right now, Azerbaijan supplies Europe with 10 billion cubic meters via the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP),” he said, stressing that all EU countries would benefit from an increase in Azerbaijani gas supplies.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Azerbaijan has received requests from more than 10 countries both to increase supplies and to start them, but today the country is working to increase natural gas production by attracting international investment, Bryza added. In addition, Turkmen gas, in combination with the supplies of Azerbaijan, can play a big role in providing gas to Europe, he noted.
“I think that Azerbaijan as a whole could provide Europe with another 10-15, maybe even 20 billion cubic meters. And this is a very strategically important moment,” he said.