This was stated by Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov at the opening ceremony of the SCO Energy Ministers’ Meeting and the forum “Industrial Innovation — a Driving Force for Sustainable Energy Development” held in Ningbo, China, according to Trend.
The minister emphasized that Azerbaijan, as a dialogue partner, places special importance on deepening cooperation with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). President Ilham Aliyev’s active participation in recent SCO summits, as well as the signing of the Declaration on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China under the SCO framework, highlight the significance of this collaboration.
The Declaration, signed in Beijing in April this year, opened a new chapter in Azerbaijan-China relations and gave additional impetus to broader cooperation with the organization.
The unique advantages of countries within the SCO — such as fossil fuel reserves, renewable energy potential, and infrastructure and technological capacity — were noted to complement each other, creating favorable conditions for multilateral energy partnerships and a fair energy transition. China’s major contribution to this process through advanced technologies and innovation was particularly emphasized.
Among Azerbaijan’s energy cooperation initiatives with SCO member states were joint “green” energy projects with China, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Azerbaijan expressed strong interest in expanding cooperation with China in areas including technology transfer, project implementation, scientific research, and human capital development.
The warm relationship between President Ilham Aliyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with the elevation of bilateral ties to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership, were highlighted as key drivers behind the rapid development of the “green energy” agenda. Chinese companies play a vital role in implementing Azerbaijan’s green energy strategy, both as contractors and investors.
Plans include the phased construction of solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of approximately 2.3 GW, as well as the development of offshore wind projects with a capacity of about 2 GW in the Caspian Sea.