This conclusion is based on an analysis of the European Commission’s 2026 meta-study on the energy nexus within the Eastern Partnership, South Caucasus, Turkey and Central Asia.
The paper emphasizes that Europe’s future energy security increasingly depends on the integration of electricity sources and renewable energy markets.
“Although the study is analytical rather than an action plan, it indirectly singles out Azerbaijan as one of the few regional players capable of simultaneously strengthening Europe’s energy security and contributing to its long-term decarbonization goals,” Media.az writes with reference to The Liberum.
Integration into the regional energy ecosystem
The publication also notes that Azerbaijan’s role in the region is changing. Although the country is not a direct exporter of electricity to the EU, it is increasingly integrating into the strategically important regional energy ecosystem.
A key project in this context is the submarine cable across the Black Sea connecting the South Caucasus with Southeast Europe. The 1,155-kilometer-long cable, designed jointly by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary, will be able to transmit up to 1,300 MW of renewable energy.
In December 2025, the project received PMI (Project of Mutual Interest) status, which will open access to financing and regulatory support. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2032.
Not just hydrocarbons
Azerbaijan is actively developing the power sector: the Zangezur high-voltage line between the main part of the country and Nakhchivan with an extension to Turkey is under construction, the Khizi-Absheron wind farm, the largest in the South Caucasus, has been opened, and joint projects with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, including the Garadagh solar power plant, are underway.
Participation in renewable energy trade memoranda with Georgia, Turkey and Bulgaria demonstrates gradual integration into regional energy markets.
“Taken together, the European Commission’s 2026 meta-study and Azerbaijan’s current energy trajectory show the same picture: the country is no longer seen solely as a supplier of hydrocarbons and a full-fledged exporter of green energy. Azerbaijan is strategically positioned to combine reliable gas supplies, renewable energy development and bilateral electricity integration,” emphasizes The Liberum.
