UNDP to support the Ministry of Industry and Energy in development of renewable energy in Azerbaijan

Baku, 17 January - Today Mr. Marco Borsotti, UNDP Resident Representative, and Mr. Natig Aliyev, the Minister of Industry and Energy, have signed two projects to support development of renewable energy in Azerbaijan, with a focus on hydro and wind energy.

Opening the signing ceremony, Mr. Aliyev announced that the project on "Promoting development of small hydropower in Azerbaijan", funded with 1.5 million USD from the Government of Norway, would help create a healthy investment environment for small hydropower applications in Azerbaijan. The project is aligned with the Azerbaijan's State Programme on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources and will contribute to revising the legal system, promoting investments and building one or more small pilot projects.

According to the Minister, Azerbaijan has become self-sustainable in terms of energy supply as a result of the Government's oil and gas strategy. Meanwhile, oil and gas were not renewable sources of energy, they would be exhausted one day, he stressed. We need to find new, renewable sources of energy and more importantly, environmentally-friendly ones. The Minister emphasized that it was the major task for the Government to start developing projects in the field of renewable energy based on international experience and increase their share in the energy supply system.

UNDP Resident Representative Marco Borsotti welcomed the Minister's remarks about Azerbaijan's unwillingness to rely exclusively on the traditional energy. "The projects that we are signing today are the demonstration of commitment that the Government has taken for the development of alternative sources of energy in this country. It also indicates that the Government is serious about the reform of the energy sector". Mr. Borsotti also noted the fact that Azerbaijan has subscribed to many international conventions in the field of environmental protection, among them the UN Framework Convention for Climate Changes which is a clear indication of the fact that Azerbaijan wants to have the modern policy on energy.

Elaborating on the objectives of the projects, UNDP Representative said: "This project will allow Azerbaijan to acquire the information required for the introduction of the new technology, at the same time also adapt this technology to the local conditions of the country. It will also assist in the preparation of necessary legal framework for creating a favourable condition for private sector involvement. Another important dimension is the formation of human capital necessary for Azerbaijan to be capable to continue to develop and expand the alternative energy sector. The initiative will make for the Azerbaijani scientists available the international knowledge. By using this knowledge, they will progress with the implementation of the projects that is the guarantee of the project's future sustainability. These projects will be a first stage for expanding future collaboration between UNDP on one side and your ministry on other side for the further development of renewable sources of energy in your country."

The second project signed was the one promoting wind power, funded with USD 45,000 by Global Environmental Facility and UNDP at the preparatory stage, will develop a close to 1 million action plan to remove legal and institutional barriers to sustainable and commercial wind energy development.

Both projects will contribute to the development of the non-oil sector, cleaner production, diversification of energy supplies, and reduction of poverty as they will improve access to energy services and drive creation of new jobs.

The event was attended by various government entities, academia, international organizations and mass media.


For more information:
Ms. Jamila Ibrahimova
Senior Development Adviser,
Team Leader for Energy and Environment and HIV/AIDS practices
Tel.: +99412 498 98 88 (ext.112)