Azerbaijan makes headway in alternative power engineering
By Emil Ismayilov, Trend news agency expert
Azerbaijan has recently made a major breakthrough in the field of alternative and renewable energy.
The first hybrid power station, located in the Gobustan region of Azerbaijan, generated the first million kilowatt/hours of electricity and delivered the volume to the power distribution system of the country.
President Ilham Aliyev said in his inaugural speech that economic diversification policy is being and will be conducted in Azerbaijan.
Alternative and renewable energy sources play an important role in this process. Their development will reduce dependence on conventional sources of energy, ensure the sustainability of the country's energy system, boost energy security, as well as positively affect the development of innovative technologies and create the conditions for improving the level of environmental protection.
The generation of the first million kilowatt/hours of electric power is the result of intensive work done in Azerbaijan in the alternative energy sector though the South Caucasus republic sits on huge oil and gas reserves.
President Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures in the field of alternative and renewable energy sources on February 1, 2013. According to the decree, the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy was established. The structure, location and staff of the state agency were also approved by the President. According to his decree, the State Company for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources was reorganized into the Azalternativenerji company and transferred to the agency's subordination.
Azalternativenerji will complete the creation of a centralized distribution smart network for electricity supply by late 2014 or early 2015. This will allow directly organizing the process of electricity distribution in the Gobustan region.
The power produced at the Gobustan power plant is currently delivered to the general distribution network on the basis of cooperation with Azerenergy company, which is engaged in the production and distribution of electricity in Azerbaijan.
The achievement of successful results was also possible thanks to a fruitful cooperation with the leadership of Azerenergy.
According to the plans, hybrid power plants are to be created in most parts of the country by 2020. In the initial stage, the output of these plants will be 15-20 megawatts, and later it can be brought up to 45-50 megawatts. Along with the creation of hybrid stations in the regions of the country, an emphasis will be placed on the creation of mini-power plants on the roofs of high-rise buildings.
Azerbaijan also has significant reserves of geothermal waters and a vast potential for the use of solar energy and wind.