Azerbaijan aims to replace gas heating in buildings with electric heat pumps by 2060 as part of its long-term plan to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
The country’s Long-Term Low-Carbon Development Strategy also calls for gas cooking appliances to be replaced with electric stoves and for major energy-efficiency upgrades across residential and commercial buildings.
The 2060 date is a long-term transition target, not an immediate ban on existing gas boilers or stoves. The strategy sets the direction for future policies, investment programs and building standards.
Heat Pumps and Electric Stoves Targeted for All Buildings
Under the strategy, the share of air-to-water electric heat pumps and electric stoves in buildings is expected to gradually reach 100% by 2060. New rules and incentive programs would be developed over time to support the change.
The heat pumps are intended to operate on electricity increasingly generated from renewable sources. The document says that completing the transition will require substantial capital investment, expanded green-power generation, new regulations and financial support programs.
Buildings Accounted for 14% of Emissions
Buildings produced about 14% of Azerbaijan’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2022, equal to approximately 10 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, according to the strategy.
The plan calls for large-scale insulation of existing buildings, including Soviet-era housing, as well as new construction. It also envisages double-glazed windows, LED lighting, high-efficiency appliances and more efficient air-conditioning systems.
High-performance insulation and heat pumps are expected to require the largest investments because of their upfront cost.
Net-Zero Goal Depends on Financing and Technology
Azerbaijan’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the strategy through Decision No. 346 dated Oct. 21, 2026. The government announced the decision on Oct. 22, and the strategy was subsequently submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The plan links the 2060 net-zero objective to Azerbaijan’s target of reducing emissions by 40% from 1990 levels by 2035. The government describes the 2060 objective as conditional on additional international financing, technology transfer, concessional loans, grants and private investment.
Source: Vesti Baku. The underlying strategy is available through the UNFCCC.