BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 9. This week, Serbia finalized the construction of the interconnector with Bulgaria, which will enable the country to import gas from Azerbaijan.
"The Serbia-Bulgaria gas pipeline is the first major energy project that was completed on time, in 12 months. Just one year ago, we started the works and in 12 months of dedicated work, 109 kilometers of new gas pipeline, four measurement and regulation stations in Pirot, Dimitrovgrad, Bela Palanka and Nis, as well as one large transfer station in Trupale were built. I expect the gas pipeline to be put into trial operation by the end of the week," said Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović.
Đedović Handanović recalled that a commercial agreement was signed for the supply of up to 400 million cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan by the end of next year. She added that this project strengthens Serbia's position on the gas map of Europe, because the Serbia-Bulgaria gas pipeline with a capacity of 1.8 billion cubic meters enables the transit of gas from Azerbaijan and the Caspian region to the countries of Central Europe.
Furthermore, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has announced that Azerbaijan and the EU will update the roadmap for the realization of the Azerbaijan-EU Strategic Energy Partnership document.
"We had constructive meetings with EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson in the UAE about the Southern Gas Corridor and the Green Energy Corridor, two major priority of our energy discourse. We decided to amend the implementation roadmap for the Azerbaijan-EU Strategic Energy Partnership paper," the minister said.
During his visit to Dubai within COP28, Minister Shahbazov has met with his Albanian counterpart Belinda Balluku. They discussed the potential for gas supplies to Albania's Korca city. The ministers praised the advancement of Azerbaijani-Albanian cooperation, emphasizing the significance of energy collaboration for Albania's development as a gas transit country and ensuring energy security. The discussions also encompassed crude oil supply and cooperation in other promising areas.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and German Uniper company have signed a Cooperation Program for 2024. The document was inked during the 8th Coordination Committee Meeting in Berlin, Germany.
The agenda of the meeting included discussions on Uniper's new strategy and business outlook, developments in the Southern Gas Corridor, and HR developments at SOCAR. The presentation on Azerbaijan's energy transition and SOCAR's future projects was a significant highlight, underscoring the company's commitment to sustainable energy solutions.
Besides, SOCAR representatives have held talks with China Energy International Group Co. Ltd regarding the development of renewable energy sources. The key topics included green energy projects in Azerbaijan, onshore and offshore wind energy potential, as well as SOCAR's corporate strategy, emphasizing energy transition, digitization, and innovation.
Furthermore, the 6th meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between the governments of Azerbaijan and the United Kingdom was held this week. Cooperation in the field of energy transition (including renewables, emissions reductions, energy efficiency, and clean transport) was one of the central topics discussed during the meeting.
The discussions covered a range of topics, such as the establishment of green energy zones in Azerbaijan, concept design, and master planning. The exploration of collaboration opportunities with UKEF and the forthcoming Energy Efficiency Fund was a key focus. Additionally, there was an exchange of information and best practices related to decarbonization and the development of low-carbon hydrogen. The talks also delved into the exploration of possibilities for developing Azerbaijan's offshore wind sector, encompassing feasibility studies, design, development, and engineering.