The 7th International Forum on Energy for Sustainable Development International Conference on Renewable Energy has kicked off in Baku.
Addressing the event, Chairman of the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy (ABOEMDA), Akim Badalov, said that the agency will develop a new strategy of the sector development.
"The current strategy focuses mainly on the governmental support for the sector development, including financing and subsidies. Now the sector is being developed mainly at the expense of the public sector and the current strategy does not imply active participation of the private sector in the process, but in the future a new strategy will be developed to involve the private sector to ensure the energy balance," Badalov said.
He estimates that today the use of alternative and renewable energy provides almost 16% of energy consumption in the country, but until 2020 the level of alternative energy in the energy balance of Azerbaijan will be increased up to 20%, abc.az reports.
Deputy Energy Minister of Kazakhstan Magzum Mirzagaliev stressed the significance of the development of the sustainable and green energy for his country.
The Forum has brought together international energy experts, government officials, and representatives from the business community, financial sector, academia and civil society to share prospects on how the SDGs can be implemented. It will also include an International Renewable Energy Conference and the annual sessions of the UNECE Group of Experts on Renewable Energy and Group of Experts on Energy Efficiency for the first time.
Among the planned parallel workshops are the Seminar on Policy Reforms for Renewable Energy Investments, the Workshop on Pathways to Sustainable Energy, the SPECA Thematic Working Group on Energy, Water and Environment, and the Workshop on the Role of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Renewable Energy Planning.
The forum will last until October 21.
