Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) reduced its natural gas consumption by nearly 50 percent last year, Chairman Rovshan Rustamov said during the presentation of the company's decarbonization project, Report informs.
He noted that decarbonization plays a central role in ADY's partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). "ADB has been a reliable partner across many areas, and today we are taking our cooperation in a new, transformative direction. ADY is proud to be the first state railway company in the Caucasus and Central Asia to work with ADB on a comprehensive decarbonization program. Together, we have already developed ADY's Decarbonization Policy and Framework, ensuring strong alignment with Azerbaijan's national development strategies, ADY's 2030 strategic goals, the Paris Agreement, and global sustainability standards. Now, through this project, we are beginning to put that strategic framework into practice," he said.
Rustamov added that the project will help design a fully structured investment program focused on expanding renewable energy across the railway infrastructure. "Beyond technical aspects, the study will also examine financial, economic, environmental, and social dimensions to ensure the project's effectiveness and sustainability. This initiative comes at a time when Azerbaijan is emerging as a key transport hub between East and West, North and South. As freight volumes grow along the Middle Corridor and the North–South route, the competitiveness of our railway system depends on operating efficiently, reliably, and with a smaller environmental footprint. Decarbonization strengthens all three," he emphasized.
He also highlighted the progress already achieved: "Over the past year, we have reduced our natural gas use by nearly 50 percent. Around 63 percent of our railway network is now electrified. We have installed more than 650 solar panels at the Bilajari and Ganja depots, generating over 132,000 kWh of clean electricity annually-almost 70 percent more than in 2023."