Baku: On September 16, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attended the inauguration of the 100 MW Gobustan Solar Power Plant in Baku’s Garadagh district. According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the event was attended by Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Azerbaijan Lu Mei, and Chief Executive Officer of Universal International Holdings Limited Yi Nan, who welcomed the head of state.
President Aliyev was provided with insights into the operations of the Gobustan Solar Power Plant and Universal Energy, a Shanghai-based Chinese company specializing in green energy and energy storage solutions. Universal Energy, in addition to its projects in China, has expanded its renewable energy initiatives to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
In 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers designated a 300.77-hectare plot in the Pirsaat settlement of Baku’s Garadagh district as a renewable energy site. The land was auctioned for a solar power plant project, with Universal International Holdings Limited winning the bid in 2024. This project marks the first auction-based initiative in Azerbaijan and is Universal Energy’s debut project in the country.
The Gobustan Solar Power Plant features solar panels, field inverters, transformers, and completed cabling works. It is expected to generate approximately 200 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, saving 45 million cubic meters of natural gas and reducing carbon emissions by 97,000 tons.
Under President Aliyev’s leadership, renewable energy is a key focus of Azerbaijan’s energy policy. The technical potential of green energy in Azerbaijan is significant, with an estimated economic potential of 27 GW. With the new plant, Azerbaijan’s renewable energy capacity will reach 2,170 MW, spread across 85 power plants. Renewable sources will constitute about 20.8 percent of Azerbaijan’s total power generation capacity. By 2027, the country plans to implement additional renewable energy projects totaling approximately 1.5 GW, in collaboration with local and international partners, to enhance electricity supply, conserve natural gas, and reduce carbon emissions.