Turkmenistan has the opportunity to start supplying natural gas to the European market until 2050. This was stated by the Ambassador of the European Union to Turkmenistan Diego Ruiz Alonso in an interview with the Turkmen news agency ORIENT.

 In his opinion, during this period, Europe, which has embarked on a «green economy», will still be forced to use traditional hydrocarbon fuels.

 - Today the EU has a new energy policy, which aims to reduce or completely eliminate carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.  This is a common goal.  But at present we are in the process of transition to safe energy, - the Ambassador said.

 He also added that relying on new, renewable energy sources: wind, solar, hydropower, etc., in the foreseeable future, the EU cannot abandon its traditional carriers – gas and oil.

 At the same time, the EU ambassador called the Trans-Caspian connector project a more realistic and practical option for the delivery of Turkmen gas to the European market.  This project was presented at the international forum «Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan-2021» in October 2021 by former US Ambassador to Turkmenistan Alan Mustard.  According to him, the Trans-Caspian connector project can start deliveries of up to 12 billion cubic meters of gas to Azerbaijan and from there to Europe in two years from the start of construction.

 Alonso noted that the previous project to transport Turkmen gas to Europe through the Caspian Sea – the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline – provides for large investments and large volumes of work, which is not entirely justified in the current situation.

 - Today the situation has changed.  The future of Europe and the energy market is CO2-free production from coal, oil and natural gas.  And today, huge investments in long-term gigantic projects are no longer justified, - Alonso says

 - The calculation is carried out for the next 20-25 years.  Therefore, the Trans-Caspian connector project is less ambitious and less ambitious, but at the same time it is the most realistic and practical.  Such projects can be implemented in a short time.  Therefore, they are the most viable,  the EU ambassador said.

 “I believe that during this transitional period, Turkmenistan can supply natural gas to the European market,” the diplomat added.

 He also noted that the EU is working with the government of Turkmenistan to ensure that the supplied natural gas is cleaner, because this will become one of the main requirements of the energy market of tomorrow.

 “How countries produce natural gas or oil will affect the price that consumers are willing to pay,” the ambassador said.