BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug.19
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Azerbaijan’s hydropower capacity stood at 1,145 MW in 2020, remaining unchanged from 2019, Trend reports with reference to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
The dynamics of changes in Azerbaijan’s hydropower capacity is as follows: 998 MW in 2011, 1,023 MW in 2012, 1,084 MW in 2013, 1,078 MW in 2014, 1,103 MW in 2015, 1,105 MW in 2016, 1,106 MW in 2017 and 1,131 MW in 2018.
Hydropower production was 2,676 GWh in 2011, 1,821 GWh in 2012, 1,491 GWh in 2013, 1,300 GWh in 2014, 1,638 GWh in 2015, 1,959 GWh in 2016, 1,746 GWh in 2017 and 1,768 GWh in 2018 and 1,565 GWh in 2019. No data is available for 2020.
Azerbaijan is among the few countries which have fully ensured their energy security. The country is also working on diversification of energy resources by expanding the use of "green energy". For example, it has signed Investment agreement, Power Purchase agreement and Transmission Connection agreement with Acwa Power and Masdar and an Implementation Agreement with bp.
The country has excellent wind and solar resources and significant prospects for biomass, geothermal and hydropower.
An analysis from the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) found the technical potential of the country’s offshore wind energy is up to 157 gigawatts. This represents immense potential when compared to the country’s total installed capacity of around 8 gigawatts.
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