Azerbaijan, EU discuss expansion of Southern Gas Corridor

By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and the EU have discussed cooperation for the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, Azernews reports.

The discussion occurred during a meeting between Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the parties emphasized that the memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership in the energy field between the EU, represented by the European Commission, and Azerbaijan opens great opportunities for further expansion of cooperation in various directions in the energy field.

The parties discussed cooperation on decarbonization, energy transition, renewables, including hydrogen, energy efficiency, and green energy technologies. They underlined the importance of sharing experience in areas such as integration of energy produced from renewables into the power grid, offshore wind power, hydrogen economy, carbon trading, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Moreover, information was provided on the activities being implemented to create a green energy zone in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.

The sides also exchanged views on a number of issues such as the support opportunities for renewable energy, including wind energy projects in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea and the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Black Sea Submarine Cable Project, as well as researching the potential of hydrogen export from Azerbaijan to Europe.

It was agreed to develop a roadmap for the implementation of cooperation arising from the memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership in the field of energy and to continue discussions on issues of mutual interest within the Azerbaijan-EU energy dialogue.

On July 19, Azerbaijan and the European Commission signed a memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation in the energy field. The document was signed by Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen.

The EU and Azerbaijan are in active dialogue on increasing gas supplies amid the energy crisis. The EU-Azerbaijan energy cooperation has reached a new level and is still ongoing within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor. The EU places a high value on energy supply diversification, and the Southern Gas Corridor is particularly important in this regard.

To recall, with the completion of the TAP (Trans-Adriatic Pipeline) construction on December 31, 2020, Azerbaijan began commercial gas supplies to Europe via the Southern Gas Corridor. The Southern Gas Corridor is an initiative of the European Commission for a natural gas supply route from the Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. The route from Azerbaijan to Europe consists of the South Caucasus Pipeline, TANAP, and TAP.

Last year, TAP transported 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. By late 2022, Azerbaijan plans to increase gas supplies to Europe to 9.1 billion cubic meters, and in 2023, the volume of gas supplies is expected to reach 11 billion cubic meters.