Switzerland officially proposed to Baku broad cooperation in various
energy spheres, when a Swiss parliamentary delegate met today with
officials in the Azerbaijani Ministry of Industry and Energy, Turan
reports.
The delegation members noted that the energy ministries of the two
countries signed a memorandum in 2007 on cooperation. It was noted
that Switzerland has unique technologies in the sphere of alternative
energy. 60% of the country’s energy needs are covered using
alternative energy, the rest – using atomic energy. The Swiss are
effective at using energy from rivers and mountain streams.
Azerbaijani Deputy Minister for Industry and Energy, Natig Abbasov,
said that the country has great potential for renewable energy,
especially hydro and wind power.
The head of the ministry’s agency on implementation of new
technologies and development of alternative energy, Akif Badalov, said
that they have a program on developing small hydro-electric plants in
the country. He said that they are planning to build a solar grid
factory, aided by the Swiss firm 3S.
A board member of the Swiss company EDL, Marcus Brokkhof, reported
that EDL plans to open an office in Baku. Their company is part of the
AXPO group, and is preparing to become one of the potential buyers of
Stage-2 gas within the framework of the Shakh-Deniz development.
Yesterday, the parliamentary delegation had a meeting with
representatives of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).
According to the head of the Swiss federal office on energy, Walter
Steinman, SOCAR president Rovnag Abdullayev declared SOCAR’s interest
in investing in Swiss oil refining.
