By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade

Azerbaijan is taking serious steps to develop alternative energy. To this end, negotiations are underway with foreign companies and investors, including companies from China, the UAE, the US and the EU.

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

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Energy informed Report that three consulting companies were selected for a pilot project on floating solar panels in Azerbaijan.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) selected EQO-NIXUS and S.L.U as international consulting companies and Azerbaijan Energy Engineering and Consulting as a local consulting company within the framework of the pilot project "Technical support and knowledge exchange on the development of a floating solar panel system".

It is reported that in January of this year, ADB submitted a preliminary report on the project entitled "Development of floating solar energy technologies".

The ministry said that the tender for the selection of the contractor is not completed, so the construction company is still unknown. Technical and financial support for the project is provided by the ADB.

The total cost of the project, implemented in three countries - Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, is $ 3 million.

Implemented on the initiative of the ADB, installation of a 100 kW photovoltaic panel system on Boyukshor Lake in Baku will be completed in the summer of 2021.

The Floating Solar Energy Development project was approved by ADB Board of Directors on August 17, 2018. It involves technical assistance for the creation of floating solar plants in the three countries. ADB experts are sure that this will contribute to the diversification of energy sources, increase energy security and reduce harmful emissions.

Azerbaijan joined ADB in 1999 and its share in the bank is 0.5 percent. In 2004, the Bank's local representative office was opened in our country. Azerbaijan hosted the 48th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Bank in 2015.

The main objective of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to support the economic development of member countries and to help alleviate poverty and improve the living standards of the population.

ADB has provided a $ 5.1 billion loan, guarantee, grant and technical assistance for the country, so far.

ADB’s program for Azerbaijan during 2011–2017 consisted of 47 projects. Energy was the largest sector supported, accounting for 42 percent ($2.1 billion) of total financing followed by transport, at 27 percent ($1.4 billion).

The Asian Development Bank will allocate $ 815 million from its credit resources to Azerbaijan in 2019-2021. This is stated in the bank's three-year business plan. Thus, in 2019, the bank will allocate $ 250 million to the country, $ 265 million in 2020, and $ 300 million in 2021.

Generally, solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.

It is an important source of renewable energy and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

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