German firms outline energy and infrastructure plans at Baku connectivity conference

German companies outlined potential energy and infrastructure work in Azerbaijan at a 6 October connectivity conference in Baku, according to a Euronews report published on 12 October. Siemens Energy offered expertise for renewable projects, while VNG and Enercon described possible supply and manufacturing arrangements. The discussions bear on Azerbaijan’s plans for electricity links to Europe and greater cargo traffic.

The German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce said the conference drew more than 250 participants, including government representatives, business leaders and financial institutions, with more than 35 guests from Germany. It covered transport, energy, digital networks and investment along the Middle Corridor through four panel discussions and three business-to-government roundtables.

What Siemens Energy proposed for Azerbaijan’s renewable plans

Deputy Energy Minister Elnur Soltanov said Azerbaijan plans 8 gigawatts of wind and solar projects by 2032. He identified renewable energy, energy efficiency and electricity interconnections as priorities, and described plans to link Azerbaijan’s energy potential to European markets through the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe Green Energy Corridor and other regional routes. The proposed links would form part of the country’s wider energy agenda.

Siemens Energy said it was ready to provide technology and expertise for Azerbaijan’s renewable sector and the planned corridor. Frederik Doye, the company’s senior vice-president for Europe, pointed to offshore wind potential and regional links. His remarks placed the company’s interest in both electricity generation and the connections that could carry power beyond Azerbaijan.

VNG’s gas talks and Enercon’s manufacturing interest

German gas importer VNG expressed interest in a 15-to-20-year supply agreement with Azerbaijan’s state oil company, SOCAR. It also identified potential cooperation on biomethane, renewable energy, hydrogen and decarbonised fuels. Euronews described the supply agreement as prospective and gave no agreed volumes. The company’s proposals therefore span conventional gas supply and several potential lower-carbon areas of cooperation.

Wind turbine maker Enercon was also considering opportunities in Azerbaijan. Its representative Tayfun Bayraktar said the company was exploring investment and possible local production using German financing and technology. He said Enercon had not received a formal proposal and any investment would depend on demand. Bayraktar put the current price of one 7-megawatt turbine at about €7 million to €8 million; he did not present that figure as a project budget.

How transport and investment fit the Baku discussions

The energy discussions formed part of a broader effort to develop transport and commercial links. Azerbaijan expects transit cargo moving through the country to reach 30 million tonnes by 2030, Euronews reported. Deputy Digital Development and Transport Minister Rashad Hasanov said digitalisation could make the Middle Corridor more efficient and support the country’s ambition to become a regional base for global technology firms.

Deputy Economy Minister Samad Bashirli presented the Alat Free Economic Zone as a platform for export-oriented production and pointed to private investment opportunities in industry, logistics and digital services. His remarks connected the conference’s transport and energy themes with Azerbaijan’s efforts to attract businesses that could manufacture goods for export or provide services along the corridor.

German Ambassador Dirk Lölke said connectivity could become a second pillar of the countries’ economic relationship alongside energy, following President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Berlin. Nargis Wieck, executive director of the German-Azerbaijani Chamber of Commerce, called for bilateral trade ties to become joint projects and for German and Azerbaijani companies to work more closely within international value chains.

The chamber said the meeting was intended to connect government priorities with company expertise and financing options. Its recap identified discussions and ambitions but no signed deals or committed financing. Whether the prospective VNG agreement, Enercon production interest or planned electricity links advance will depend on steps that the published accounts have yet to establish.