Hybrid plant to be linked to Azerbaijani power grid soon
By Nigar Orujova
Electricity produced at a hybrid plant in Azerbaijan will be supplied to the power grid of state-owned energy company Azerenergy soon. The facility, located in the Gobustan alternative energy ground, is the first of its kind in the South Caucasus region.
"Technical issues are being settled with Azerenergy to supply electricity produced from renewable energy sources to the power distribution network," Jamil Melikov, Deputy Director of the State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources, said on Wednesday.
The hybrid power plant was built in the Gobustan region, about 60 km southwest of the center of the capital Baku.
The total capacity of the hybrid power plant is 5.5 megawatts of electricity. Power is generated by three wind turbines with total capacity of 2.7 megawatts, solar panels producing 1.8 megawatts and a biogas power plant with a capacity of 1 megawatt.
The power plant currently provides electricity for the Gobustan regional center. Another wind turbine with a capacity of 2.5 MWt will be built there during the second phase of the project. Thus, the total capacity of the hybrid plant will increase to 8 megawatts, enabling to meet entirely the electricity demand of the Gobustan region with the population of 46,000 people.
According to Melikov, the surplus volumes will be supplied to other regions.
Operation of hybrid plants is the best option to develop alternative energy in Azerbaijan, recent research suggested. Due to simultaneous use of solar, wind, water and biomass energy, uninterrupted electricity and thermal power production can be ensured regardless of changing weather conditions and other circumstances.
"A feasibility study is under development to establish an agri-energy complex running on biogas in the Samukh region under alternative and renewable energy development in Azerbaijan," Melikov said. "It is planned to create hybrid power plants with capacity of 16 megawatts in this complex. Wind, solar and thermal energy will be used at these hybrid plants."
The electricity will be supplied to agricultural facilities, in particular, greenhouses.
"Construction of the complex may start in 2013 and end in two years," Melikov said. "A large cattle-breeding complex will be created nearby, providing the station with the necessary biological raw material."
According to Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Ministry department head Tahir Jafarov, the production of electricity from alternative and renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan could reach 2.6 billion kilowatts an hour per year by 2015.
Azerbaijan plans to increase renewable energy production and to achieve 20 percent share of renewable energy in the electricity sector and 9.7 percent share in energy consumption by 2020 compared to the current 2.3 percent.
The strategy on the use and development of alternative and renewable energy sources in 2012-2020 will be approved in Azerbaijan by late 2012, with its implementation scheduled for 2013.
The State Agency on Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources, established in 2009, plans to increase the share of renewable energy sources to 20 percent by 2020 from the current 10 percent and $90 million has been allocated for the purpose.