Elnur Soltanov: World needs alternative and diverse energy sources

Today, traditional energy sources in the world are not sufficient, and therefore there is a need for alternative and diverse energy sources, Azerbaijani Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur Soltanov stated during a roundtable held at ADA University on the occasion of International Clean Energy Day, Report informs.

Soltanov noted that the topic of clean energy is important primarily because traditional energy sources are limited: "This is the main reason. Whether we like it or not, there is a need for alternative and diverse energy sources. It is no longer possible to meet demand solely through fossil fuels-oil, gas, and coal. Demand is increasing, and this growth is also of serious importance from the perspective of energy security."

He emphasized that diversification of energy sources is crucial: "Oil and gas are not available everywhere, but solar and wind are almost everywhere. When we talk about renewable energy, we mainly mean solar and wind power."

According to the deputy minister, another major reason is greenhouse gas emissions, which have already raised the Earth's temperature by about 1.5 degrees: "Further increases could lead to catastrophic consequences. Looking at energy consumption, we see mainly the '3+1' sectors where energy is used intensively: electricity generation, transportation, households, and industry. In households, the main issue is heating, especially in the context of using traditional fuels. Other needs can largely be met through electricity, and this electricity can always be obtained from green sources."

Soltanov stressed, however, that there are sectors that cannot be fully electrified: "Households remain one of the most critical areas. On the other hand, similar problems exist in industry. For example, in steel or iron production, electricity can be used, but current technologies cannot fully replace the high temperatures generated by gas or coal. Therefore, traditional fuels are still needed in these sectors."