Azerbaijan's Renewable Energy Policy: Opportunities, Drivers and Challenges

Abstract

This article looks at Azerbaijan’s renewable energy developments. Existing research and media coverage of international energy politics in the South Caucasus is overwhelmingly dominated by a focus on oil and gas pipelines, especially in Azerbaijan, due to its central place in traditional hydrocarbon fuels markets. This article aims to expand the scope of the literature on energy to bring more attention to Azerbaijan's renewable energy sector, investigating the potential of and challenges to renewable energy development in the country. The key questions are: why would a small oil and natural gas-rich country seek to develop renewable energy? Who is promoting renewable energy in Azerbaijan and with what effects? And finally, how do low oil prices and Covid-19 affect the progress of renewable energy in Azerbaijan?