BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 5. Azerbaijani gas supplies to Europe may exceed 10 billion cubic meters by the end of 2022, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at a round table on “Southeastern Energy Transition: Regional Cooperation for Energy Security, Diversification and Green Transition" in Sofia (Bulgaria) on May 5, Trend reports.
According to Shahbazov, the main directions of the energy dialogue are decarbonization of the energy sector, energy transition, energy efficiency, expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) for additional gas exports to Europe, including hydrogen, production and export of other "green" energy.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring a sustainable, affordable and secure energy supply, noting that solution of this problem is not related to giving preference to diversification, energy security or green transition, but to keeping balance among them.
"Natural gas and renewable energy sources will act as the cleanest sources of energy of hydrocarbon origin, which will further diversify energy supply," the minister said.
Besides, according to him, SGC has proved its strategic importance in a short period of time by providing European consumers with uninterrupted and affordable natural gas during the energy crisis.
"Azerbaijan is determined to continue its role as a reliable energy supplier for the region and Europe,” he noted. “So far, TAP [pipeline] has supplied 11.6 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe. From January through April 2021, 3.5 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas were transported through TAP: 3.1 billion cubic meters fell on Italy, 300 million cubic meters on Greece and 100 million cubic meters on Bulgaria," the minister reminded.
He also noted that projects on decarbonization and transition to "green" energy are being implemented in Azerbaijan.
"Along with huge reserves of natural gas, our renewable energy potential has created great opportunities for the further development of the energy dialogue with the EU. The building of new submarine power cable along the bottom of the Black Sea will allow Azerbaijan to export the produced "green" electricity to Europe," Shahbazov said.