Can Azerbaijan’s solar boom power Europe’s green transition?

For decades, Azerbaijan’s economic narrative has been written in oil and gas. The silhouettes of derricks against the Baku skyline served as the primary symbols of a nation fueling regional energy security. However, as the global energy landscape undergoes a seismic shift toward decarbonization, Azerbaijan is pivotally rewriting its script. The recent announcement that a major solar panel manufacturing facility will be established in the Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ) marks more than just an industrial contract; it signals the birth of a high-tech manufacturing ecosystem that could redefine the country’s non-oil GDP.