Another Solar Power Plant Launched in Azerbaijan

The solar power station in the Baku village of Sahil has been connected to the power grid, Deputy Chairman of the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources Jamil Melikov announced.

Today in Azerbaijan, solar power plants function in the cities of Gobustan and Samukh, and in the Baku villages of Pirallahi, Surakhani and now Sahil.

“The solar power plant in Sakhil is already connected to the power grid and is functioning. At the same time there is preparation to connect a solar power station in Sumgayit. We expect it to be put into operation before the end of the year,” Melikov said.

The design capacity of the Sahil power plant is 2.8 megawatts. The potential of renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan is over 25.3 thousand megawatts, which will generate 62.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. By 2020, it is planned to reach a capacity of 2,676 megawatts, which will be about 20% of all electricity produced in the country.

Most of the country's potential in this area comes from solar energy, and this potential is estimated at 5,000 megawatts.

Wind energy is 4,500 megawatts, biomass is 1500 megawatts, geothermal energy is 800 megawatts, and the remaining 350 megawatts comes from the potential of small hydroelectric power stations.

In 2018-2020, the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources of Azerbaijan plans to implement 23 projects with a total cost of about 13 million Manat ($7,635,829.50) within the framework of the strategic roadmap for the development of public services (electric and thermal energy, water and gas supply).

By Dimitri Dolaberidze

Photo: President Ilham Aliyev at the launch of the solar power plant. Image source: trend.az