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The Ministry of Energy and bp agree on next steps in solar project in the south-west of Azerbaijan

Release date:
4 June 2022

The Ministry of Energy (MoE) and bp today signed an Addendum to the Implementation Agreement that they had previously signed in June 2021 committing them to work together to take the next steps towards joint implementation of a 240MW AC solar power plant in the Jabrayil district. 


The new document was signed in Shusha within the agenda of Baku Energy Week. It represents the next step to finalize the joint work towards realization of the solar project, named “Shafag” (Sunrise). 


It is the parties’ plan to achieve an effective technical and commercial solution to the project implementation through piloting a commercial structure called a “Virtual Power Transfer Arrangement”. This will enable the project to produce solar power in the Jabrayil district and sell it in another part of the country to either public or private off-takers.  

 

"As a result of our one-year joint activity and fruitful cooperation, we have laid a foundation for the implementation of the Shafag project, which can satisfy the interests of all parties. Our agreement today provides clear directions to our future activities on many issues, including the production and transmission of electricity, and speeds up the process of starting the construction of the solar power plant. This document once again demonstrates our determination to the implementation of this project and commitment of Azerbaijan and bp to cooperation on renewable and low-carbon sources of energy. We believe that the Shafag project, the first example of a foreign partnership in the green energy zone, will give an impetus to our continued cooperation with bp on “green” energy and decarbonization."

 

Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy

 

“The document signed today brings the Shafag project (Project Sunrise) closer to the final investment decision. We are pleased to have agreed an approach that will enhance the commercial feasibility of the project making it beneficial for all stakeholders, including the potential off-takers and the Government of Azerbaijan.  We are confident that this new approach will lead to decarbonization of oil and gas operations including ours and this is exactly in line with what we aim to achieve globally by working to significantly reduce our operational emissions, aiming for net zero by 2050 or sooner. 

 

Gary Jones, bp's regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye

 

Further information

 

Jahid Mikayilov, Press Secretary in Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Telephone: (+994 12) 598 16 53/54

 

Tamam Bayatly at bp’s press office in Baku. 

Telephone: (+994 12) 525 58 95