BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 27. The planned integration of two GW of renewable energy into Azerbaijan's national grid by 2027 requires investments in modernizing the country's energy grid, Head of the Renewable Energy Zones Development Department at the Renewable Energy Agency (AREA) under the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan Fagan Abdurahmanov told Trend.
"Since we're dealing with renewable energy, which is unstable and depends on climatic conditions, it's difficult to control and regulate. Therefore, the modernization of Azerbaijan's power grid and specific actions aimed at connecting RE to the national grid are required," Abdurakhmanov highlighted.
He explained that when technically integrating two GW of renewables into the grid, the state-owned company Azerenerji OJSC will need to either reduce the load on the grid or temporarily disconnect an equivalent capacity of traditional energy sources during the integration process.
Azerbaijan's power grid has a complex structure, consisting of several hundred interconnected substations and power lines with various voltage classes (35, 110, 220, 330, and 500 kilovolts), and all aspects of its operation must be considered when integrating renewable energy.
"That is why active discussions are currently underway about investing in the modernization of the grid to ensure that it can technically accommodate energy from renewables without affecting the country's power supply. Detailed discussions are being held with international experts," said the AREA representative.
In particular, the World Bank (WB) is ready to provide the necessary technical assistance, and negotiations are ongoing with international financial institutions regarding potential loans.
To note, by 2027, the share of renewables in Azerbaijan's energy balance can reach 32.6 percent (currently around 18-19 percent), and by 2030, 35 percent.
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