Assessment of the Modern Territorial Organization and Development Priorities of the Transition to Green Energy in the East Zangezur Economic Region
Nariman Pashayev1* , Ziyafat Aghayev2 ,
Khatira Maharramova3 , and Raisa Isayeva4
Abstract. The transition to green energy in the East Zangezur economic region represents a strategic shift in Azerbaijan’s national energy policy, promoting efficient use of renewable resources, sustainable economic growth, environmental restoration, and international cooperation. Green energy projects generate significant socio-economic benefits by creating jobs, enhancing local employment, strengthening human capital through high-tech infrastructure, and diversifying energy production to ensure market stability and economic independence. Environmentally, this policy reduces carbon emissions—small hydropower plants alone prevented 225,000 tons of CO₂ emissions in 2024—while minimizing ecological risks and supporting biodiversity. The integration of solar and hydropower further improves grid stability, making green energy transition a comprehensive model of technological, social, and ecological development. Thus, the green energy transition in the East Zangezur economic region is a multidimensional development model encompassing technological innovation, social welfare, ecological restoration, and international integration.
Keywords: East Zangezur economic region, green energy zone, renewable energy sources, solar energy potential