Azerbaijan Plans 11 Solar and Wind Plants by End-2027

Azerbaijan expects to complete the commissioning of 11 solar and wind power plants with a combined capacity of about 2 GW by the end of 2027, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said on 14 October 2026, Trend reported. He spoke at the third National Competition Forum, organised by the State Agency for Antimonopoly and Consumer Market Control.

The 11 plants form the first phase of the country's renewable build-out. Shahbazov put expected private investment at $2 billion and public investment at about $600 million. On those figures, private money would cover most of the first phase.

What the minister said

Shahbazov said agreements have been signed for about 8 GW of solar and wind generation to be built by 2032. He added that solar and wind projects totalling 20 GW are under implementation with companies from the United Arab Emirates, including Masdar, Saudi Arabia (ACWA Power), the United Kingdom (BP), China and others. Local firms are also taking part: SOCAR is involved in green energy projects, and local investors are developing four plants with a combined 150 MW in Khachmaz and Nakhchivan.

The next phase is planned to move to competitive auctions from 2028, he said.

Numbers that need care

Two figures in the reports do not line up neatly, and CBJ has not been able to reconcile them. The minister cited agreements for about 8 GW by 2032 but also 20 GW "under implementation", and the reports do not explain the gap, which may reflect different stages of project development. Separately, the ministry's operational data published the same day cite about 1.5 GW of planned renewable projects by the end of 2027, against the roughly 2 GW the minister gave for the 11 plants.

If the $2 billion private and $600 million public figures cover the same 11 plants, they imply about $1.3 million per MW. That is a CBJ calculation; the reports do not say what the investment totals include, such as grid connections.

Context

The 8 GW goal for 2032 is not new. CBJ reported on 13 October 2026 that Azerbaijan restated the 8 GW target at the United Nations, and earlier that Masdar had launched over 1 GW of projects in the country. What is new on 14 October is the dated 2027 commissioning goal for the first 11 plants, which offers a nearer test than the 2032 headline.

What to watch

• Whether the 11 plants reach commissioning by the end of 2027, and which developers deliver them.
• How the 2028 auctions are designed, including pricing rules and grid access.
• Clarification of the 8 GW, 20 GW and 1.5 GW figures by the ministry.

Sources: Trend, 14 October 2026 (11 plants and 2 GW); Trend, 14 October 2026 (private investment); Trend, 14 October 2026 (ministry generation data)