Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 20 / Trend , A.Badalova /
Azerbaijan is interested in all 'Southern Gas Corridor' projects, Deputy Industry and Energy Minister Natig Abbasov said at a meeting of the INOGATE experts on Thursday.
"Azerbaijan needs new markets that are safe and long-term," Abbasov said.
He said Azerbaijan gained its place in the world.
"The country is well known as an oil and gas producer. If prior to 2007, Azerbaijan imported gas, now the country exports it to neighboring countries," he said.
Abbasov said Azerbaijan's oil production reached a record level - over 50 million tons and gas production - 26 billion cubic meters in 2010. He highlighted Azerbaijan's great potential in the energy sphere.
"If in 2006 the electricity consumption in the country amounted to 26 billion kilowatt-hours, then it dropped to 18 billion in 2010. Thus, the country's export capacity increased to 10 billion kilowatt-hours per year. Azerbaijan is ready to further export electricity in the future," he said.
Abbasov also highlighted the country's potential in the field of alternative and renewable sources.
The Head of the Industry and Energy Ministry's department for investments and reconstruction of industrial facilities, Ramiz Rzayev, said the main component of Azerbaijan's energy policy is to ensure energy security and energy efficiency, as well as the country's participation in regional and global energy security.
Implementation of projects under the INOGATE program serves exactly to those interests, Rzayev said.
Today's event is aimed to assess the results of the INOGATE program for Azerbaijan, as well as further discuss the promising projects in this program and the country's participation in it.
Some 56 programs, in 30 of which Azerbaijan involved, were implemented within the INOGATE program.
"Some 9 projects are now being implemented, in 8 of which Azerbaijan involved. On average, 36.45 million euros was allocated to these projects," Rzayev said.
The INOGATE program is an international program of energy cooperation between the European Union and partner countries - Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.