Azerbaijan’s Response To Russia’s Invasion Has Included Plans For Increased Energy Exports To Europe

By Joseph Hammond

European Union leaders pledged in Might to cease Russian power imports as part of a broader effort to censure and sanction Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

Enter Azerbaijan, which has pledged to extend pure gasoline imports to Europe following the beginning of the conflict.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Fee, mentioned throughout a go to to Baku in July 2022: “Not solely are we trying to strengthen our present partnership which ensures secure and dependable gasoline provides to the EU by way of the Southern Gasoline Hall. We’re additionally laying the foundations of a long-term partnership on power effectivity and clear power, as we each pursue the aims of the Paris Settlement.”

Fee President Ursula von der Leyen additionally described Azerbaijan as “a key accomplice in our efforts to maneuver away from Russian fossil fuels.”

In reality, the 2 objectives are interlinked in Azerbaijan, as they’re in lots of petroleum-exporting nations. The extra that Azerbaijan develops various power for home consumption, the extra petroleum there will likely be for export.

Presently, the vast majority of Azerbaijan’s electrical energy is produced by fossil fuels, with the steadiness coming from hydroelectric sources, one of many advantages of Azerbaijan’s mountainous terrain. But its geography implies that it has nice potential for a wide range of different various and renewable power assets as properly. Wind energy within the nation has the potential to supply 800 MW per 12 months. Certainly one origin story for “Baku,” the identify of Azerbaijan’s capital metropolis, comes from “Badi Kube,” which interprets from previous Persian as “Metropolis of Wind.”

“We totally help the territorial integrity and sovereignty and independence of all nations and we have now supported Ukraine on this tough time,” mentioned Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to the U.S. in an interview with Zenger Information. “It’s actually necessary to finish this example by diplomatic means, as it will be important for each regional and international peace.”

The ambassador pledged that regardless of the current border battle with Armenia in September would nonetheless meet its international commitments to extend volumes of imports to Europe.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev mentioned this month that talks have begun to broaden the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). That pipeline at present delivers 10 billion cubic meters of gasoline every year from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz discipline to Europe. Italy accounts for 8 bcm per 12 months of these imports, with Greece and Bulgaria taking the remainder.

Elevated power exports from Azerbaijan will take years to achieve maturity. One other potential supply of pure gasoline for Europe is liquefied pure gasoline (LNG). Azerbaijan will proceed to develop new pipeline-based exports to Europe no matter LNG developments in Europe, the ambassador mentioned.

“We don’t converse of competitors,” mentioned Ibrahim, “The extra sources, the higher it’s general for the market. At occasions of geopolitical disaster, particularly, the soundness of the worldwide power market is achieved by cooperation with our companions across the globe.”

The ambassador confirmed these talks have been progressing. He additionally mentioned that the Southern Gasoline Hall linking Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and Greece will likely be essential to increasing pure gasoline exports.

“We dedicated with the EU that by 2027 we are going to double pure gasoline exports to our companions elsewhere in Europe. From a present 10 billion bcm to European markets to twenty bcm by 2027 with improve every year in between,” mentioned Ibrahim.