The European Union is looking forward to maintain long-term energy cooperation with Azerbaijan, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said.
The Southern Gas Corridor plays an important role in ensuring Europe’s energy security and stable gas supply, and the EU would like to continue this cooperation, Simson said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov in Baku on Friday.
The EU faced an energy crisis in 2022, involving a major increase in prices for energy with the start of the crisis in Ukraine and the halt of Russian gas supplies, she said.
It was Azerbaijan that came to the EU’s aid at the time, Simson said. “Azerbaijan was able to increase gas supply last year by 40%,” she said.
The parties plan to double the amount of gas shipped to the EU from Azerbaijan to 20 billion cubic meters by 2027, Simson said. “The Advisory Council meeting demonstrated a strong resolve of all stakeholders involved to make this expansion happen already by 2027,” she said.
“The EU is also looking with great interest into Trans-Caspian projects,” she said.
“Out cooperation must go beyond gas supplies,” Simson said. […] This might include cooperation on green energy, such as wind and solar energy, and the reduction of greenhouse emissions, she said.
The EU supports Azerbaijan’s reforms in the renewable energy sources area and believes there are good prospects for long-term cooperation in this field, she said.
Azerbaijan shipped 8.1 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe in 2021 and 11.4 cubic meters in 2022.