New Green Energy Project to Connect Azerbaijan and Europe Under the Black Sea
Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary are working together on a new project. And that is to construct a long electric cable under the Black Sea. This cable will connect the planned wind farms in Azerbaijan to Europe. The project plans to help Europe get more energy from renewable sources and reduce its reliance on Russian gas.
What Is the Project?
The countries created a joint business called as the "Green Energy Corridor Power Company". The main office of this company is in Bucharest, Romania. Their goal is to construct a 1100 Km long cable under the Black Sea. The cable will have a capacity of 1000 megawatts. This is enough to supply electricity to more than one million homes.
Why Is This Important?
This project is important for a many reasons. First it will help Europe get more energy from clean and renewable sources like wind power. The new cable will let clean energy to be sent to Europe.
Secondly the project is part of the European Union's plan to expand its energy sources and reducing reliance on Russia. Russia has been a major supplier of natural gas to Europe for a long time. But with the ongoing war in Ukraine it has caused many European countries to rethink their energy supply chains. By connecting to Azerbaijan's wind farms Europe will gain a new and reliable energy source.
How Is the Project Funded?
The European Commission is investing in this project. An Italian consulting firm called CESI is working on a feasibility study. This study will help decide how the cable will be built and how much it will cost. The findings of this study are expected to be presented at the United Nations' COP29 climate summit in November.
What Happens Next?
If the study comes to a conclusion that the project is feasible construction could begin in the coming years. The countries that are involved will also need to develop detailed plans for how to build the cable, locate the necessary equipment and obtain all necessary environmental approvals. This is a complex process with numerous technical and political challenges.
