On 1 March WindEurope and the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance the deployment of onshore and offshore wind energy in Azerbaijan and the wider Caspian Sea area. Wind will play a critical role in the energy transition of both Azerbaijan and the wider Caspian region. Through this collaboration the parties aim to harness the vast onshore and offshore wind potential in the region, contributing to the global objective of tripling renewable capacity by 2030.

Azerbaijan has great potential for wind energy development, both onshore and offshore. The Government of Azerbaijan wants renewables to be 30% of of their total installed electricity capacity by 2030. And they want to export much of their wind energy to Europe via a Caspian-EU Green Energy Corridor. They’ve already signed an MoU with Georgia, Romania and Hungary for a subsea cable under the Black Sea.

Each new wind turbine built in Europe and the Neighbourhood generates on average €13m in economic activity. So building more wind farms will not only help to make the Azeri electricity supply greener but also leave behind significant economic benefits. And for the EU it will be another stable source of clean electricity.

By signing the memorandum WindEurope and the Azerbaijan Renewable Energy Agency pledge to cooperate in a number of different areas including:

The establishment of competition criteria. This includes the use of qualitative criteria that do not just consider price but also the value added in areas such as biodiversity protection, cybersecurity and job creation.

The recognition that maritime spatial planning and grid development are crucial for offshore wind development.

The simplification of permitting processes to ensure an efficient buildout of new wind farms.

The sourcing of wind energy components. This applies especially to opportunities for local and European sourcing of wind energy components.

The exchange of best practices and knowledge for wind energy deployment and electricity grid interconnectors.

The linking of European electricity off-takers to the wind energy generated in Azerbaijan to optimise the flow of electricity.

The development of the Caspian-EU Green Energy Corridor. There will be more cooperation on the development of an electricity interconnector that will connect the Azeri electricity grid to the further European grid by laying a cable from Azerbaijan to Georgia, Romania and Hungary.

WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson said: “WindEurope are honoured to sign this MoU with Azerbaijan to help them build out their wind, both onshore and offshore in the Caspian. It’s great they want to build so much, and that they want to export the energy to Europe through the planned Black Sea cable. It’s win-win collaboration.”