EU steps up renewable energy cooperation with Azerbaijan

The 2^nd Ministerial Meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan Green Energy Advisory Council took place in Baku last Friday, co-chaired by Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson. The meeting was an important moment for strengthening our partnership in the field of renewable energy, bringing a new dimension to our overall energy relations.  

To ensure a strong renewable energy dimension to our partnership, the Commission has notably worked to facilitate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on wind energy cooperation between the Azeri Renewable Energy Agency and the European industry association WindEurope. On Friday, the Commissioner witnessed the signature of the MoU, which will pave the way for European renewable energy companies to tap the huge wind power potential of Azerbaijan, to help push forward the clean energy transition in the region, and to potentially generate new renewable energy supplies for Europe.  

Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, said: "The EU and Azerbaijan's strategic energy cooperation has shown all its flexibility and dynamism. In 2019, there was only gas on the horizon. Not today. The Southern Gas Corridor has evolved to become a forum for cooperation also on renewables and electrification. This is an extraordinary result and is proof of how this project is forward looking and open to the future. We have made clean energy a key part of EU-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. The signature of the Memorandum of Understanding with EU wind companies in the margins of this Ministerial is a very important step."  

The Commissioner's full remarks at the inaugural session of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council are available here. You can also find online her remarks at the closing press conference with Azerbaijan's Energy Minister, Parviz Shahbazov. A joint statement on the 10th ministerial meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and 2nd ministerial meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council is available here.