BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 14. Azerbaijan is taking major steps to strengthen its legislative and regulatory framework for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and power sector modernization, said Elnur Soltanov, Deputy Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, during the panel discussion "Azerbaijan: Emerging Gateway to Green Growth and Connectivity" at the EBRD Annual Meetings in London, Trend reports.
Soltanov highlighted three major legislative initiatives currently in the pipeline, including new laws on heating, gas supply, and regulation. "I want to emphasize the one on heating because there we really put emphasis on district heating, which is not very much widespread in Azerbaijan," he said. "It’s also about efficiency and the application of new technologies like heat pumps - this is really the main thrust of the new legislation on heating".
He also pointed to the forthcoming law on regulation as a significant step forward. "It will be very important in terms of really expanding and pushing forward the great work that the regulatory agency in Azerbaijan has been doing, especially making sure that we have cost-based tariff systems in the country".
Among the laws already adopted, Soltanov singled out the renewable energy law as the most impactful. "We expect to exceed 30% in terms of installed capacity before 2030 - actually by 2028 we anticipate reaching around 32%," he said.
The deputy minister also emphasized support for prosumers — individuals or companies that both consume and produce energy. “In Azerbaijan, individuals can already — and are already doing so — install up to 150 kilowatts of solar panels and engage in buying and selling electricity,” he noted.
Moreover, the energy efficiency law that Soltanov described as "qualitatively new" for Azerbaijan. "We are currently working on about a dozen bylaws related to certification in buildings, appliances, energy auditing," he said. "And we also have this energy efficiency fund, which has a sustainable financial base - we are taxing fossil fuels to sustain it".
He called energy efficiency "a new source of energy", pointing out that the legacy of inefficient Soviet-era buildings offers significant opportunities. "It’s a challenge, but it also means we could make some big gains - that’s an almost virgin area. We are very excited," he said. “In the coming years, if not months, you’ll be hearing more from the Ministry of Energy on energy efficiency than anything else".