Azerbaijan, Baku, May 25 / Trend A.Akhundov /
Some 25 million manat was allocated to the Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources Agency operating under the Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Ministry with a view to develop alternative energy sources, Ministry's Apparatus Head Rasim Mammadov told journalists on Wednesday.
"The Agency received 25 million manat, of which about 18 million have already been used. The volume of fund allocated to the Agnecy will be increased in the future," Mammadov said.
He said the on the alternative energy development in Azerbaijan is almost ready.
"We have an extensive experience in working with small power plants. Today, Azerbaijan uses the wind, hydro, solar and biomass energy. It is expected to build landfills to generate solar and wind energy, as well as small hydropower plants, within the program in 5 years," he said.
He said two pilot wind installations have been established near Sumgait and two small hydroelectric power stations have been built by Azerenergy.
"The Agency builds landfill to generate wind and solar energy in Gobustan," Mammadov said.
Work carried out across the country to study areas that have potential for construction of small power plants, and preliminary results of research are already available, he said.
Mammadov said the share of alternative energy in Azerbaijan's total power generation may reach 1.5-2 percent within five years.
"We generate about 19-20 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. Some 80 percent of this volume falls to the thermal power plants and the rest - for hydroelectric power. The share of alternative energy in the total volume is still small, but I think that a progress will be achieved in this direction over the next five years," he added.