Azerbaijan’s First and Largest Utility-Scale PV Power Plant Online on the 10th Anniversary of Belt and Road Initiative

Recently, the 308 MWp Area 60 solar power project, Azerbaijan’s first and largest utility-scale PV power plant has officially commenced operations, using Sungrow’s utility-scale turnkey solution, the SG320HX string inverters and MV Stations (MVS). This project represents a significant development in Azerbaijan’s energy structure as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Azerbaijan is one of the first countries to support the Belt and Road Initiative, cooperating with China in many fields such as transportation, logistics, and infrastructure. It also seeks to partner with Chinese enterprises to shape a carbon neutral future together to help diversify its economy and reduce dependence on oil and natural gas. The Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan targets to increase the share of the installed capacity of renewable energy to 30% in the country’s overall energy balance by 2030.

As the first utility-scale renewable energy project in Azerbaijan, the Area 60 solar power project only uses Sungrow’s state-of-the-art 320 kW string inverters SG320HX and is compatible with the MV8850-LV MV Stations to ensure the project is safe, highly efficient, easy to operate, and grid-friendly. The project also uses an innovative 8.85 MW large PV blocks design, and SVG is completely replaced by the SG320HX, further boosting power generation and reducing investment costs. In addition, the SG320HX enables stable operation even in weak grids.

Accordingly, the 308 MWp project covers an area of about 5.5 million square meters in the Gobustan District, about 60 kilometers southwest of Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. It will produce 500 million kilowatts of power annually once operational. By that point, 110,000 families could use green electricity, resulting in a reduction of over 200,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.

“Last March, we were participating in the groundbreaking ceremony of the solar power plant,” stated Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s president. “Today we are very proud to see that in a relatively short period of time, this empty part of the Absheron peninsula became the source of green energy. This is a remarkable achievement.”

James Wu, Senior Vice President of Sungrow said, “It is an honor for us to collaborate with Dongfang Electric from China and Masdar from UAE on this meaningful project in Azerbaijan. During the past decade, China has infused vitality into the energy transition of many countries and promoted local economic growth with its products, technology, and experience. As an industry-leading Chinese enterprise, Sungrow has also contributed to the initiative by providing cutting-edge renewable energy solutions and services. We hope that more and more renewable energy projects will be implemented under the Belt and Road Initiative, and our world will soon be carbon neutral.”