01.08.26
A total water area of 711.4 square kilometers in Azerbaijan’s sector of the Caspian Sea has been officially designated as a renewable energy zone. The decision was signed by Prime Minister Ali Asadov.
According to the Cabinet of Ministers, the measure aims to ensure more efficient utilization of the country’s renewable energy potential in electricity generation. The designated offshore area is primarily intended for the construction of offshore wind power plants.
Under the decision, the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan will take the necessary steps to select an electricity producer in accordance with the “Rules for the Selection of an Electricity Producer in Renewable Energy Source Zones,” approved by President Ilham Aliyev on August 2, 2023.
Under the new regulations, once the decision enters into force, all permits required for the construction of wind power plants within the 711.4-square-kilometer renewable energy zone must be obtained within the timeframe specified in Article 6.7 of the Law on the Use of Renewable Energy Sources in Electricity Production and in compliance with the Urban Planning and Construction Code.
In addition, the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture of Azerbaijan will be required to notify the Cabinet of Ministers within three days of issuing or refusing a construction permit. Responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the decision has been assigned to the Agriculture and Ecology Department of the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The move is regarded as an important step toward expanding Azerbaijan’s renewable energy investments and strengthening its offshore wind energy capacity.
