Green concept in Karabakh: ecological vision and solidarity trends for a healthy future

Due to the recent increase in energy demand and the emerging energy shortage, the issue of “green energy” is one of the most actual issues. In this sense,  our country which is rich in energy resources and potential, is in the center of interest of a number of countries The number of countries interested in partnership with Azerbaijan is increasing, for our country is implementing its goals and plans in line with the current demand in this field, taking into account the world’s energy demand and its own potential as well. If we look at our regions rich in energy reserves, one of these regions is the liberated Karabakh territory. Taking into account the fertile conditions and sufficient energy potential of the Karabakh zone, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized this in his speech: “I have already officially declared the  liberated territories as a region that will be provided with “greening”. We are already working on a major plan and huge water and we will implement these projects using the potential of the sun and wind.”

In “Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities of Socio-Economic Development”, the issue of expanding green energy production in our country occupies a special place. That’s why, the analysis was conducted on various green technologies that will be applied taking into account the energy potential of the Karabakh territory, since Azerbaijan’s plans for the widespread use of renewable energy sources are fully consistent with the development strategy of our country. It should be emphasized that there are quite a lot of alternative energy sources in the liberated territories. The region has more than 7,200 MW of solar and up to 2,000 MW of wind energy potential.

In the direction of the implementation of the decree of the president of the  Azerbaijani Republic” on measures to create green energy ” dated may 3, 2021, cooperation with the Japanese company TEPSCO has begun and a relevant concept has been developed. The goal of this concept is to provide the territory with ecologically clean green energy using the high renewable energy potential available in the liberated territories, as well as to formulate proposals for the application of environmentally friendly and energy-efficient green technologies.

At the same time, continuous research is underway in these regions to study the potential of water, solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and other renewable energy, to build wind and solar power plants using existing resources, as well as to build hydropower plants. According to the amount of solar radiation falling on the earth’s surface, Fuzuli, Jabrayil and Zangilan districts are dominant, we can emphasize that these areas are in the second place after Nakhchivan. In addition to solar energy, fertile conditions exist for using wind energy in the region In the mountainous part, there are plenty of favorable areas in which the average annual wind speed is 7-8 meters per second at a height of 100 meters. Average annual wind speed in Kalbajar and Lachin regions reaches 10 meters per second.

25 percent of the local water resources of our republic, i.e. 2 billion 560 million cubic meters per year fall on the rich water resources of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur economic regions. Currently there are 14 rivers and 9 reservoirs in the mentioned areas. Over the past period, about 30 hydroelectric power plants have been restored in those areas. In the near future, it is planned to prepare projects for the construction of 237 new hydroelectric power stations with a capacity of 38 megawatts in the territories of Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur economic regions. The 200-megawatt Khudafarin and 80-megawatt “Giz Galasi” hydroelectric power plants, which are currently being built on the Araz River in Jabrayil region, are necessary energy facilities of the region. These facilities are planned to be put into use for a period of 2-2.5 years. Moreover, it is possible to create quite large energy production opportunities in the Terterchay, Bargushadchay, Hekeri rivers and their tributaries of the region. It is planned to use the water energy potential of these rivers with the construction of 30 megawatt Bargushadchay and 43 megawatt Hekarichai small hydroelectric power stations. According to the preliminary analysis, it is thought that there are 3093 cubic meters of thermal water per day in Kalbajar and 412 cubic meters in Shusha.

We should also speak about the importance of the Garadagh Solar Power Plant, the largest solar power plant in the Caspian region and among the CIS countries, in which President Ilham Aliyev attended at the opening ceremony, which invested US $ 262 million in the construction of this station. It should also be empahsized that the Garadag Solar Power Station is the first industrial-scale solar power station realized with the involvement of foreign investments. This plant will provide 500 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing 110 million cubic meters of natural gas and reducing carbon emissions by 200 thousand tons. At the moment   570,000 solar panels have been placed in the power station with an area of 550 hectares.

Within the framework of the creation of the Green Energy Zone, electricity generation from renewable energy sources in the liberated areas, energy efficiency measures, use of electric vehicles, installation of renewable energy devices (especially solar panels) on the roofs of buildings, including solar-based LED for street and road lighting measures such as the use of lamps, the use of renewable energy technologies in heating, cooling and hot water supply, the application of intelligent energy management technologies and energy-oriented waste management are envisaged and planned.

It should be highlighted that energy is the major key to the further development of the region, so the construction of the energy industry comes in the first place. Carrying out large – scale works in Karabakh and Eastern Zangazur in a short period of time-clearing mines, creating vital infrastructure-demonstrates the strength, intention and will of the Azerbaijani state. We believe and are confident that the huge energy potential of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur will allow Azerbaijan to further strengthen its position as the most reliable energy producer in the world.

Liberated lands  are being revived, traces of Armenian brutality are being erased, new cities and villages are  being built, every work is conducted with jeweler’s precision, high quality and modern technologies.

In2024, on April 17, at the section meeting of the International Scientific Conference “Mas-19 on mathematics, engineering, natural and Medical Sciences” jointly organized by Mingachevir State University (MSU) with the Igisadi Institute for development and Social Research (IKSAD) of Turkey, the article was presented by Aytaj Javad and Farida Hasanli who are teachers of the Department of Physics and Ecology of MSU.