Transition to renewable energy and sustainable energy development in Azerbaijan

Preponderance of industrial states is completely dependent on energy to fuel their economies. Besides, globalization has made the world to be so interconnected and interdependent that the energy industry is the biggest contributor of the climate change which doesn't affect a single country but have far wider implications. The growing awareness of the security of energy supply and climate change challenges associated with fossil fuels has triggered countries around the globe to find alternative energy resources. As a post-soviet country, the economy of the Azerbaijan Republic significantly based on oil production which is the biggest threat to sustainable energy development. Above all, Azerbaijan's dependency on the fossil fuel is the biggest obstacle for the long term economic growth due to decrease in oil prices and the depletion of oil resources. The combination of these newly emerged challenges give impetus for Azerbaijan to diversify its economy via a green economy that will pave a way for the long term economic stability while addressing environmental and social concerns in the country [15]. In this regard, the principal purpose of this research is to explore the sustainable energy development in Azerbaijan through the transition to renewable energy and propose appropriate measures for policy framework.