BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 27. Southern Gas Corridor could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the aforementioned war in the energy sector, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Economic Diplomacy of Greece Kostas Fragkogiannis said in an exclusive interview with Trend.
He noted that the Southern Gas Corridor is really important for Greece.
"Greece is the gateway of the Southern Gas Corridor in Europe and a major goal of our international relations in the field of energy is to extend the benefits of diversified sources and routes to our neighbours. The swift realization of the Southern Gas Corridor for Azerbaijani natural gas from the Caspian Sea to Italy through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) at the end of 2020 constitutes one of the most important steps towards enhancing energy security in Europe. The quantities of gas carried by TAP play a significant role in supplying Europe with a new, reliable and affordable energy source, while facilitating the energy transition at the same time,” said Fragkogiannis.
The deputy minister recalled that during the Southern Gas Corridor Meeting one month ago in Baku (4.02.2022), the General Secretary of Energy and Mineral Resources of Greece Alexandra Sdoukou represented Greece and had the opportunity to once again emphasize the importance the country attaches to cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of energy.
Fragkogiannis pointed out that Greece is willing to explore all alternatives available in order to secure its energy sufficiency.
“The war between Russia and Ukraine has caused many problems, which will become even more visible in the near future. The Southern Gas Corridor could play an important role in compensating for the negative effects of the aforementioned war in the energy sector. Greece is an important partner of the TAP project. There is great potential in this field and we are expecting that during 2022 IGB connectivity will begin, bringing the expected results to the energy markets and triggering the dynamic capacity of both our countries. The possible expansion of the capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor would further enhance the energy security of Greece and Europe. However, I would like to emphasize that the expansion of TAP capacity is a business decision of the TAP Consortium and one which requires time and investment,” said the Greek deputy minister.
He added that the examination by the Consortium of new technology possibilities that would allow TAP to move towards the transportation of a blend of natural gas and hydrogen is also of great importance.
Greece is very supportive of the use of renewable gases and hydrogen in order to align with “green” energy policies, said Fragkogiannis.
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