EBRD interested in financing electric bus fleet development in Azerbaijan

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is interested in financing projects to develop electric bus fleets in Azerbaijan, Lin O'Grady, head of Green Cities at the EBRD, said in an interview with Report.

"Within this region, we have already successfully financed electric bus fleets in Batumi, Samarkand, and Bishkek. The EBRD would certainly be highly interested in rolling out similar initiatives here in Azerbaijan.

Crucially, infrastructure development should go hand in hand with purchasing vehicles; you cannot simply finance the rolling stock without the supporting charging network. Therefore, our financing package would comprehensively cover the electric buses, the dedicated depots, and the necessary charging infrastructure. Furthermore, to push the boundaries of sustainability, we aim to design these depots with rooftop solar panels, where circumstances allow," she noted.

"E-mobility is a major area of focus for the EBRD. We firmly believe it is where we can drive significant impact in the broader energy transition, facilitating the shift away from internal combustion engine vehicles and buses," she added.

Full interview is available here