Azerbaijan’s Growing Role in Europe’s Gas Security

Abstract

Ensuring Europe’s energy security and supply with energy resources primarily means providing natural gas. As is known, natural gas is one of the main resources that Europe imports. The continental countries’ need for natural gas is quite large. According to experts’ calculations, gas demand in Europe will double in the next decade. Although the total consumption of renewable energy is expected to reach 32 percent by 2030, natural gas will still be of great importance to Europe. Continental nations are trying to diversify gas supplies to Europe to reduce coal use and high greenhouse gas emissions. In this case, the competition for gas supply to the continent increases even more. In energy diversification, the main focus is on intensifying relations with the countries of the Caspian Sea region, that is, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Geographically located in the southeast of Russia, the region has a double advantage in terms of laying pipelines that will ensure the transportation of large undiscovered gas and oil reserves directly to Europe.