Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan presented itself to me as a paradox. Its beauty radiates from the counterpoint of experiencing its ancient and modern customs; mediaeval and contemporary architectural structures as well as a rich historical past that emboldens an ambitious vision for the future.
This explains my concept of the two cities of Baku; with the modern city, along with its shiny skyscrapers, wide road networks, lush city parks and industrial layouts towering over the old city like a protective shield. But Azerbaijan is also a country desperately clinging to its past, evidently portrayed in the deliberate way it preserves its rich historical heritage within the enclave of a 12thC wall.
Nine days from today, global stakeholders in climate change will converge on this beautiful city for the UN Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties (COP29). As the host of this year’s event, scheduled to take place between November 11 and 22, Azerbaijan has over 1,000 people working across 33 departments at COP headquarters in Baku, making sure that the country’s biggest international event is not only a success but one that will project its vision for the future.
From the Garadagh solar plant; the country’s first utility scale energy project, to Baku’s municipal waste-to-energy power plant, into Azerbaijan’s ambitious space solution for climate change as well as its clean energy Port of Baku, there is no doubt of Azerbaijan’s commitment to sustainability. As one of the world’s oldest oil rich countries, it is rapidly adjusting to new realities and its eyes are firmly fixed on exporting clean energy to the European market.
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Weekend Trust joined selected media houses from Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa on a media tour to Baku in early October, and observed first hand, some of Azerbaijan’s energy transition projects. It was by far not only a learning experience but a reflection of how much in common the country has with Nigeria. So, as the Nigerian delegation gets set to visit Baku a few days from now, it makes sense to pay attention to how a country, equally built on oil and gas, is leading the Caucasus region in renewables.
There were two major areas I felt Nigeria could leverage on during our six-day-tour. The first is the Garadagh solar plant; Azerbaijan’s first utility scale energy project with the capacity to produce 550 million kilowatts of electricity. The second is Baku’s Municipal state of the art waste-to-energy power plant; a €346 million government investment with a capacity for turning 500,000 tonnes of waste into 200 million kilowatts of electricity annually.
Baku’s sea of solar panels
A glimpse of Azerbaijan’s Garadagh solar plant will serve as motivation for Nigeria, a country struggling with insufficient power generation capacity that drives households and companies to rely on gas and diesel-powered generators which ultimately increase greenhouse gas emissions.
A 2023 research by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that solar and wind energy is the way to go for Nigeria. The IRENA report shows that scaling up investment in renewable energy is much more cost-effective especially since Nigeria has a huge solar and wind potential with a high chance of meeting 59 percent of the country’s energy needs by 2050.
Azerbaijan obviously understands the potential of renewables and the Garadagh solar plant, operated by UAE based company, Masdar, is a step in actualising this green vision. With a sea of 570,720 solar panels that stretches as far as the eye can see, the panels are planted on a vast arid land some 60 kilometres south of Baku. It started operation on October 26, 2023 and as at October 4th, generated 455 million kilowatts of green energy.
While touring the facility, Meuad Sadikhov, the country Manager for Masdar in Azerbaijan said the station saves the country 110 million cubic metres of natural gas and reduces carbon emission by 200,000 tons.
Baku’s waste-to-energy plant
Sprawling along the Balakhani; a countryside-like area, is Baku’s municipal waste-to-energy power plant, aimed at improving the country’s ecological situation. Built to the highest environmental standards that comply with European standards of protecting the environment, it is designed to process both household waste and generate clean electricity. Before the plant, the municipal waste disposal was largely unmanaged and like many countries such as Nigeria, dumped for burning in open landfills.
The United Nations approach to waste handling for greenhouse gas removals and overall climate mitigation include waste reduction, recycling, waste-to-wealth as well as energy recovery from wastes. The last approach is what the Baku waste-to-energy plant is designed to achieve.
Established in 2012, the plant will make for a captivating learning experience for Nigeria where waste management has largely been problematic. Nigeria’s 32 million tonnes of solid waste generated annually, according to the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) are usually dumped indiscriminately in open spaces for burning and in landfills.
Sabit Zeyniyov, while taking us round the plant said it has a capacity for 500,000 tons of waste per year and generates more than 200 million kwh of electricity annually. Interestingly, 85 per cent of that electricity is then sold to the country’s national grid.
“This is a government investment. For the biggest cities, this is the best choice because population is high,” Zeyniyov said when I asked him how Nigeria’s cities of Lagos and Abuja could benefit from such innovations.
Nigeria’s National Policy on Solid Waste Management 2020, which provides a framework for sustainable solid waste management allows for the development of engineered sanitary landfills in line with town planning laws. However, the major danger with landfills is their release of methane gas; which experts say is more dangerous than carbon dioxide, making it the most potent greenhouse gas and therefore a major contributor in climate change.
“There is more effect to the environment from landfills than incineration,” Zeniyov said, aligning with several UN reports and studies that have documented how dumpsites and landfills can have serious effects on the
health and wellbeing of people and the environment.
He stressed that waste-to-energy plants, which make use of incineration are great options for big cities such as Abuja and Lagos where population is high, adding that smaller cities in Nigeria can just focus on recycling for the moment.
Surrounded by Azerbaijan’s mediaeval ghosts
Away from renewables and Azerbaijan’s green future, the country’s past holds the key to its tourism potential. As a history enthusiast, I can honestly say a visit to Baku without a trip to its old city will most likely be incomplete. Here, you are transported back to the mediaeval days; into the times of Persian kings that dwelled behind stone walls, the powers they wielded, the affluences they lived by and the battles they fought. You come face-to-face with mediaeval artistry, architecture and crafts that still hold unrevealed secrets.
During our six-day visit, I can honestly say that it was on the fifth day, while visiting the old city that I felt my spirit lifted in a way no other part of Baku had made me feel. After days of traversing the shadows of Baku’s skyscrapers and the outskirts of the city, a futile search for African residents led us to the conclusion that either Baku hasn’t been much of an attraction for Africans or they just haven’t found it yet. We eventually found one or two Africans but soon enough, discovered that like us, they were visiting Baku for an engagement. I, however, still maintain that there must be a Nigerian, tucked up in a corner of Baku, living life to the fullest.
Our theory of not finding Africans in Baku was reinforced during our visit to the old city; a 22-hectare area and what I call a tourist delight. I can say the visit turned out to be the most exciting experience for me, even as I noticed a lot of Azerbaijani’s glance at us with warm smiles and later shyly requested a picture with Aaron, a Trust TV reporter. It so happened that Aaron was the darkest of us and his dark shades did him a lot of justice.
Baku’s old city is also known as the inner-city or best referred to as Icherisheher. It has about 4,000 inhabitants, says our tour guide, Jalina and is surrounded by a 12thC mediaeval wall that has been added to the UNESCO world heritage list. Within the enclave of the old city, are other monuments such as the Muhammad Mosque; originally built in the 9thC, the Maiden Tower and the Shirvanshahs palace. These three monuments are also a part of the world heritage list.
Historically, Azerbaijan, translated as “land of fire” had remained a Zoroastrian area and the Ateshgah Fire temple, some 30km from the city centre remains a symbol of the once Zoroastrian religious belief. Zoroastrian had flourished in the area before the coming of Islam in the 7thC and later what came to be widely identified as one of Azerbaijan’s long-lasting dynasties, known as the Shirvanshahs.
The Shirvanshah dynasty; a historical region in the eastern Caucasus of present-day Azerbaijan, had used an area known as Shamakha as the city of its residence. The capital was later moved to Baku, originally called Baki at the end of the 12thC after a tragic earthquake destroyed Shamakha. It was here, in Baku that the Shirvanshahs palace was built in the 15thC.
Still standing at what seemed to be the top of Icherisheher and overlooking the city, the palace will have you make the long walk, meandering through alleys and ascending to the top to get a sight of it. It unveils itself as a masterpiece of mediaeval engineering, tough enough to withstand another century.
Another captivating site is the Maiden Tower; a magnificent monument that imposes itself on anyone visiting the old city. You just cannot miss it. The cylindrical architectural design simply takes your breath away. Now a museum, Jalina, our tour guide explained that there are still debates about when it was constructed and for what purpose and function it was constructed. However, some researchers say the tower was built as a guard tower or for defensive fortification while others believe it was an ancient temple. Having withstood different human and natural deteriorations throughout centuries, she said the government of Azerbaijan had performed restoration works to preserve its legacy.
There were many other captivating historical sites within the old city such as the hammam (Bathhouse) and Karvansaray (hotels) but nothing captivated my senses like the story of Shah Farrux Yasar ibn I Kalilullah; the 36th ruler of the Shirvanshah dynasty.
Shah Farrux Yasar
Behind what appeared to be a hard bronze coloured door is the first hall into the 15thC Shirvanshah Palace. Visitors are welcomed by a 3D projection of a wall map that depicts the old territory of the dynasty and the royal tree branch, all 44 of them with their names. But the 34th, 35th and 36th rulers stood out. Inscribed in red, their names are Shah Ibrahim Ibn Sultan Mahammad, who ruled between 1382-1417, Shah Khalilullaha Ibn Ibrahim who ruled between 1417-1465 and Shah Farrux Yasar ibn I Kalilullah whose reign lasted between 1465-1500.
Jalina says the three generations from a grandfather to a grandson signify the three strongest Shahs who ruled the dynasty. Farrux Yasar was the last of the three and it was under his reign that the Shirvanshahs were defeated in a war with the Safavids that claimed his life in 1500 and eventually saw the collapse of the dynasty in 1538.
“The Safavids occupied 13 countries at a point in time, including some parts of Iran. They were said to have ruled Azerbaijan for 200 years after the Shirvanshahs,” Jalina explained.
Though his tomb was built in the old capital, Shamakhi, Farrux Yasar’s imprints have survived many centuries. Outside the palace’s large courtyard is the Divankhana; a building he constructed and have for centuries left researchers guessing its intended purpose. Some researchers say it was intended as a tomb, but a description outside the building alludes to another theory. “It could have served for official receptions and or meetings of the Shirvanshahs’ state council,” it stated and added: “Some researchers believe that Farrux Yasar ordered to erect the building as the Shah’s tomb. But after his death, the construction works stopped and the Divankhana stayed unfinished.”
Jalina explained that unfinished here is used to describe the unfinished ornaments and the exquisite details some parts of the building bear which others lacked. She said while the structure was completed before his death, the detailed stone carvings, designs and beautifications have for centuries remained unfinished.
Often enough in folklore, rulers are depicted as heroes and their prowess and life choices, often exaggerated and passed down from generation to generation. Whether or not this applied to Shah Farrux Yasar, there is not a doubt that he has found veneration among many, even tourists such as myself who by chance found their way to a place he once called home. Here in Baku, centuries after his death, Jalina says there are still those who clamour for the return of Shah Farrux Yasar’s remains to the Divankhana. They wished him to be laid to rest in a place he built, but never saw its completion.
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