The investors behind the Shafag (Jabrayil) solar project-bp, SOCAR Green, the Azerbaijan Business Development Fund, and MVM-have announced that the project has achieved a major milestone with the start of panel installation at the site in Azerbaijan's Jabrayil district.

According to bp Azerbaijan, with the first solar panel installed earlier this month, construction activities for the project continue to progress on schedule, The Caspian Post reports, citing local media.

Nadir Imanov, bp’s vice president, finance, for the Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye region, said: “We are pleased to reach this important construction milestone. Together with our co venturers, we are making steady progress in Jabrayil and remain focused on delivering the project safely and efficiently. This landmark solar development is uniquely positioned to create value through renewable electricity generation, as well as support the decarbonization of our operations in the region, contributing to Azerbaijan’s energy transition efforts.”

Since the final investment decision last year, the construction of the project has made significant progress. Procurement and delivery of key equipment, including photovoltaic modules, piles and structural components, have been successfully completed, and substantial progress has been achieved on pile and tracker installation, with around 30% of the equipment already installed.

The project is committed to leveraging local resources and is expected to create up to 400 jobs at the peak of construction. Around 350 people are currently employed at the project, of whom 123 are from the surrounding liberated areas.

Construction is due to be completed in 2027. The 240MW solar project is expected to generate ~500GWh of renewable energy annually.