Achieving concrete and measurable results in the field of energy efficiency will become one of the key characteristics of future cities, said Azerbaijan’s Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov during an event on “Cities at the Heart of Connectivity: Urban Reconstruction and Regional Cooperation” held within the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.
According to the minister, the cities of the future will create higher value while consuming less energy, with energy efficiency and green technologies playing a decisive role in this process.
“The restoration and reconstruction process in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories is a clear example of this approach. There, we are not simply rebuilding infrastructure – we are shaping the cities of the future. ‘Smart city’, ‘smart village’, ‘green energy zones’, energy-efficient infrastructure, and digital management systems are being implemented within a unified concept in these areas,” he said.
The minister emphasised that President Ilham Aliyev’s declaration of Karabakh and East Zangazur as a “green energy zone”, as well as the target of achieving “net zero emissions” by 2050, reflect Azerbaijan’s strategic vision.
“Currently, 38 hydropower plants with a total capacity of 307 MW are operating in these territories. In parallel, the construction of solar power plants with a total capacity of 340 MW is ongoing. In addition, rooftop solar panels with a capacity of 7,000 kW have already been installed, and assessment work is being carried out for the construction of a 240 MW wind power plant. By 2030, it is projected that the commissioning of 1,650 MW of renewable energy capacity will result in an annual reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 2 million tonnes,” said Parviz Shahbazov.
https://report.az/en/energy/parviz-shahbazov-future-cities-will-be-built-on-energy-efficiency