Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov held a meeting with Charles Cormier, Regional Director for Infrastructure in Europe and Central Asia at the World Bank, and Roland Price, Regional Director for the South Caucasus.
According to the Ministry, the meeting featured an extensive exchange of views on ongoing projects in Azerbaijan’s energy sector, future cooperation prospects, particularly in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, modernization of electricity grids, energy storage systems, rooftop solar energy, and regional energy projects.
The parties discussed the progress of the jointly implemented AZURE project and emphasized its importance for the stable integration of renewable energy capacities into the electricity grid. The increasing energy demand from data centers and artificial intelligence, along with the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, highlighted the necessity of modernizing, digitizing, and enhancing the reliability of electricity transmission and distribution networks.
The meeting also extensively covered potential cooperation with the World Bank on the “Caspian–Black Sea–Europe Green Energy Corridor” project. Discussions focused on the interconnection between the “Caspian–Black Sea–Europe Green Energy Corridor” and the “Georgia–Romania Black Sea Submarine Cable” projects, their contribution to Europe’s energy security, and their role in regional integration. The prospects for expanding Azerbaijan’s role as a regional energy supplier were addressed, not only in electricity but also in gas exports.
The conversation also covered work carried out in the field of energy efficiency and future steps. The potential for reducing energy consumption in public buildings, the activities of the Energy Efficiency Fund, and opportunities for applying international best practices were evaluated. It was deemed appropriate to continue technical assistance and knowledge exchange in this direction.