State moves forward in renewable energy

The Energy Market Regulator (EPDK) has announced measurement requirements for applications for sun and wind energy stations. Private companies applying for an authorization to build new energy stations must provide the EPDK with wind and sun measurements for six months at a particular location and one year’s worth of experimental data that has been approved by the Turkish State Meteorological Service. Wind measurements will be taken using wind measurement poles at least 60 meters high off the ground at the possible energy station sites, according to the EPDK specifications. 10 million euro investmentEPDK President Hasan Köktaş told Anatolian news agency that the measurements were a critical part of the investment process; after receiving the measurements this year, they plan to accept applications for the sun energy stations. According to Köktaş, the EPDK is initially aiming for an 11,000-megawatt wind energy project that will later be expanded to 20,000 megawatts. For sun energy, the EPDK is projecting a 600-megawatt target, which could be increased to 10,000 megawatts. This would require a roughly 10 million-euro investment in total. On average 1 megawatt of power can supply electricity to as many as 300 U.S. households per year. According to TurkStat figures, the average person in Turkey consumes 540 kilowatts of electricity in one year.

US asks for transparency in Turkish nuclear bids

A more transparent and open regulatory environment for the nuclear sector would be more encouraging for American companies that wish to invest in this field, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said. “Your energy minister [Taner Yıldız] wants to encourage American firms in the nuclear sector. We think that is great, too. The regulatory environment in Turkey, however, discourages American companies from coming because the nuclear sector is wide open around in the world, but is still closed in Turkey,” Ricciardone told Ankara bureau chiefs of various newspapers late Jan. 25. Turkey is planning to build three nuclear power plants in the next decade, totaling 4500 MWe, in the provinces of Akkuyu, Mersin and in Sinop. Turkey and Russia signed an agreement for the construction of the first plant, but talks with Japan for the second plant were suspended after the earthquake in Japan last year. However, U.S. companies do not seem interested in entering this field in Turkey. This is because of poor tender conditions, according to Michael Camunez, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, who called on Turkey to adopt an internationally approved tender process in order to attract American companies, during a visit to Ankara last month. “The regulations should be open and clear. There needs to be a strong and independent regulatory institution with long-term purchase contract,” Camunez told reporters. “We have a conversation going on about opening the regulatory environment here to encourage American and foreign investment in the nuclear sector,” Ricciardone said. Citing the energy sector as an important field in which Turkish and American companies could cooperate, he said, “If you do not grow in generation capability, transmission and distribution there will be a bottleneck. It will hold you back. We are keenly interested in American companies and investors participating.”Trade up 35 percentLast December, a U.S. delegation visited Turkey to examine the opportunities for investment and trade in the renewable energy sector. Ricciardone said the Turkish government wanted to encourage American firms in the nuclear sector.In the overall economic partnership between the governments and companies of the two countries, Ricciardone drew a more optimistic picture. Bilateral trade is likely to show an increase of more than 35 percent in the year 2011, he said. “We had great success last year. The trade between Turkey and the U.S. when the final figures are in, which we won’t have for the full calendar year, will probably show an increase better than 35 percent, maybe more,” he said. “President [Barack] Obama, and Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan and President [Abdullah] Gül have agreed that we need to advance our economic relationship to the level of our strategic defense and diplomatic relationship, and that is what we are targeting,” Ricciardone said. “We want to do even better in 2012. We want to strengthen and exploit the opportunity, to use that framework for bringing the two governments and the two business sectors together.January/28/2012

US-Dutch firm to build Europe's biggest solar plant in Turkey

A U.S.-Dutch solar company has started talks with a local energy firm to build Turkey’s first and Europe’s biggest photovoltaic power station GiraSolar, a U.S.-Dutch solar company, has begun talks with a local energy firm to build Turkey’s first and Europe’s biggest photovoltaic power station while also manufacturing solar panels for export to Europe.“We are planning to build Europe’s biggest solar plant in Turkey,” Chief Executive Officer Wieland M. Koornstra told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review during a Dutch business mission to Istanbul last week. The mission, which included representatives from 22 companies, was led by Henk Bleker, the Dutch minister for agriculture and foreign trade.Noting the importance of Turkey in the world’s solar energy sector, Koornstra said GiraSolar had held talks with a Turkish energy giant on building a solar power station in the south of Turkey. He said the plant would generate 100 megawatts of energy.The largest photovoltaic, or PV, power plants in Europe were Montalto di Castro Photovoltaic Power Station in Italy (84.2 MW), Finsterwalde Solar Park in Germany, (80.7 MW), Rovigo Photovoltaic Power Plant in Italy (70 MW), Olmedilla Photovoltaic Park in Spain (60 MW), Strasskirchen Solar Park (54 MW) and Lieberose Photovoltaic Park in Germany (53 Mwat the end of 2010.On average, 1 MW of power can supply electricity to as many as 300 households per year.Koornstra said the company planned to manufacture the solar panels in Turkey rather than importing.“I am completely sure that we could manufacture the panels at the same price as China,” he said. “In this way, we would avoid the transportations cost as well.”Noting that there is no solar panel market yet in Turkey, Koornstra said: “We are planning to export the solar panels to European countries. Many firms will inquire about Turkish-made solar panels once we complete this solar power station project in the country.”According to the Turkish Renewable Energy Law, the purchase price for electricity generated from solar power is $0.133 per kilowatt hour. The law also offers a further incentive to renewable energy facilities and states that, provided the technical equipment used in the facility is produced within Turkey’s borders, the facility will be paid an additional $0.004-0.024 per kilowatt hour of electricity purchased by the state for five years after the plant becomes active.[HH] Turkish partner anonymousWithout disclosing the name of the company, Koornstra said: “We are [currently] having discussions with our Turkish partner about the project. At the start of the project nearly 200 million euros will be invested in the power plant.”According to data provided by the chief executive, 20 percent of the amount is slated to be invested by the business partner while nearly 80 percent of the amount could be met with outsource sources, such as Eximbank credits. “We are now also discussing the financial matter with our Turkish partner,” he said.“To produce 1 MW electricity we will need nearly 2,000 square meters of land,” said Koornstra. “We are in search of the most feasible location at the moment.”Noting that the project might be completed gradually over time depending on conditions, Koornstra said, “We could build the plant within two years.”“It takes four to five years to build a nuclear plant. Nearly 20 percent of the total amount of the investment will come from our partner and 80 percent financing will be outsourced,” said Koornstra. “If we build this plant, this would make Turkey known as the solar source of the world.”In the long term, it is better for Turks to have solar panels in their houses than buy power from the grid, he said.Talking about the nuclear plant to be built in Akkuyu, in the southern province of Mersin, Koornstra said, “Turkey should use hybrid energy rather than relying on nuclear energy.”“They always told us that it was safe and stable and now it’s obvious that it’s neither safe nor stable,” he said.Koornstra said Germany and the Netherlands were facing storage problems for nuclear waste accumulated through the years. “They both stored nuclear waste in layers under the ground and they have leakage.”Noting that hybrid energy sources such as wind and solar plants are safe and sustainable for the economy and environment, Koornstra said solar power had become more affordable in recent years, adding that such power presented none of the running costs, storage problems or maintenance problems of nuclear plants.Recent research at Duke University has shown that sophisticated new solar energy production methods make the cheapest and least hazardous energy source that is cheaper and safer than nuclear power, according to United Press International, or UPI. The study said the cost of producing and installing PV cells had been steadily dropping for years and now cost about half of what it did in 1998.In the U.S., the price of nuclear energy through 2011 is expected to equal $0.16-0.18 per kilowatt while solar PV is forecast to cost $0.14 per kilowatt, the study said.

Turkey’s Solimpeks Wins Certification for Hybrid Solar Panels

I recently installed a fan in my roof to pump out the hot air from the attic and help keep the house cooler during the summer. I also have a solar panel on the roof to produce hot water. It seems logical that the solar energy harnessed for the water heater should also be able to provide electricity to operate the fan, right? Well, it turns out it’s not that simple – so until I install a separate photovoltaic (PV) solar panel on the roof, the fan will be plugged into an electric socket instead.It would be nice to have a single solar panel capable of producing both hot water and electricity. A Turkish company, Solimpeks Solar Energy Corp., is producing precisely this type of combined system, and has now been awarded MCS (Microgeneration Certification Scheme) certification for its Volther hybrid system.According to the company’s communication director, Kemal Ibis, it is the only product to receive such certification for both solar thermal and solar electricity. “This certification will help us to ramp up to sell in the UK because in England it’s compulsory for selling and getting into the Feed-In Tariff program in both the solar electricity and solar thermal scheme,” he explained in an email.According to Ibis, the hybrid system costs approximately 20% less than installing separate systems for PV and solar hot water – and it looks nicer on the roof than a set of two different panels. In addition, the combined system is said to offer higher PV efficiency and durability by keeping the solar collectors cooler.Solimpeks produces two types of Volther hybrid systems, one (PowerVolt) optimized for electricity production and another (PowerTherm) optimized for hot water production. So far, the company has installed systems in Turkey and Western Europe, and is planning to launch in other markets.

Woman Builds Off-Grid Earth Bag Home in Turkey for $3,761

Everybody’s talking about earth bag construction lately, including The National, which reported this weekend that a British woman has built an earth bag home a la Iranian architecture Nader Khalili. Using dirt from her own 6,500 square foot plot of land, the artist and writer filled dozens of polypropylene sacks that were then stacked to create a striking circular structure overlooking Turkey’s magical Olympos Valley. Despite disbelieving critics, Kerry Bingham’s home is durable and doesn’t melt when it rains. Bingham told The National that building her own off-grid home was inspired by a desire to become more mindful of her consumption habits. ”My goal,” she says, “is to change my lifestyle, to be aware of how I consume and how I can consume in a more responsible way.”Not only has she built a house using locally-sourced and sustainable materials – including lime plaster that has yet to be applied to the outer wall, but she has slashed her carbon and water footprint in other meaningful ways as well.Bingham is building a compost toilet (with a view) that requires absolutely no water to function, and any grey water that she does use for washing dishes and clothes will be recycled after it goes through an on-site constructed wetland that relies on nature to filter out harmful impurities.She also intends to build a water pump that relies solely on power from the sun to function.Unlike the splashy steel and glass monstrosities popping up all over the Middle East, this project genuinely deserves the stamp “sustainable.” And the building’s flat roof and additional doorway also leaves room for expansion .The neighbor – a pomegranate farmer named Dudu – was not convinced of the merits of earth bag construction, but the resiliency of Bingham’s pride and joy has had a transformative effect on all of its critics.

TURKEY: ENERGY EVOLUTION

Turkey has
become one of the fastest growing energy markets in the world in parallel to its
economic growth registered in the last eight years and is rapidly gaining a
competitive structure. The Turkish Electricity Transmission Company estimates
that Turkey’s demand for electricity will increase at an annual rate of six
percent between 2009 and 2023. The growing energy demand in Turkey is one of the
significant factors along with market liberalization and the country’s potential
role as an energy terminal in its region. These three factors play an important
role in shaping the investment opportunities in Turkey.
The increase in demand has given rise to the long-term investments made by
the private sector. At this point, the Turkish energy sector registered a rapid
growth after the liberalization of the energy market. In line with the
implementation of regulations and the high increase in demand, the electricity
market enlarged its capacity to attract investments to the market.
The Turkish government encourages investors to implement energy projects in
Turkey with new incentives on renewable energy. This ensures that the
government’s feed-in tariff will accelerate investment projects in the coming
years.
The Turkish energy market offers a wide range of activities, from crude oil
exploration to oil and petrochemical products distribution and exports, and from
electricity generation based on all known energy sources to machinery and
equipment manufacturing.
The total amount of investments to be made to meet the energy demand in
Turkey until 2023 is estimated around USD 130 billion.
Turkey functions as an important energy terminal in its region due to its
strategic location between Asia and Europe.
Turkey possesses a significant number of rivers and lakes (with
approximately 36,000 MW of energy potential), which offers ideal opportunities
for the small and large-scale energy companies.
As regards geothermal energy potential, Turkey ranks 7th in the world and
3rd in Europe. Once all planned investments in the geothermal energy sector are
made, the total value-added amount to the economy will be USD 16 billion per
annum.
With its high potential in agriculture and installed capacity in biodiesel
and bio-ethanol, Turkey can be the bio-fuel supply center of Europe.
In order to establish a common energy market with the EU, Turkey plans to
interconnect its energy system with UCTE (Union for the Coordination of
Transmission of Electricity) grid.
The government provides feed-in tariff incentives for the renewable energy
investments.
Turkey ranks 1st in the world in terms of highest growth rate in wind energy
plants and only 15 percent of its potential has been utilized up until now.


Turkey’s ambitious vision of 2023, the centennial foundation of the Republic,
envisages grandiose targets for the energy sector in Turkey. These targets
include:

125,000 MW of installed power (up from 54,423 MW in 2010)
Increasing the share of renewables to 30 percent
60,717 km of transmission lines (up from 49,104 km in 2010)
158,460 MVA of power distribution unit capacity (up from 98,996 MVA in 2010)
Decreasing electricity loss-theft to 5 percent and extending the use of
smart grids
5 billion m3 of natural gas storage capacity (up from 2.6 billion m3 in
2010)
Establishing an energy stock exchange
8 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 10,000 MW will be active
Construction of 4 nuclear reactors with a capacity of 5,000 MW
Construction of power plants with a capacity of 18,500 MW in the coal basins
Full utilization of hydropower
Increasing wind power to 20,000 MW (up from 1,694 MW in 2010)
Power plants with 600 MW geothermal, 3,000 MW solar energy

U.S. Companies See Growth Potential in Turkey

Strategically positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Turkey has embarked on a major renewable energy and energy efficiency program. The country aims to increase its clean energy share to 30 percent of its power supply by 2023 — the 100th anniversary of the Turkish republic. With over $40 billion in investment expected in this area by 2020, U.S. companies will see major business development opportunities in solar, wind, geothermal, hydro and all elements of energy efficiency. At the U.S. Embassy in Turkey, we’ve seen Turkey’s economic growth firsthand. This growth of 8.9 percent in 2010 and 11 percent in the first quarter of 2011, has caused a sharp increase in energy demand. Furthermore, Turkey forecasts 6 to 8 percent annual growth in energy demand through 2020, with an expected addition of 50,000 MW to the grid. Public and private sector investment will fund many of these projects, and U.S. companies are taking notice.For example, in a major acquisition, the U.S. giant AES acquired a nearly 50 percent share in AES-Entek Electric Company, a joint venture with Koç Group. This new U.S.-Turkish joint venture will focus on existing and new generation opportunities, including renewables. GE also recently announced a 530-megawatt project, with the Turkish MetCap Energy Investments in Karaman, Turkey. The project will feature a 22-megawatt GE wind farm, a 50-megawatt eSolar “power tower” solar thermal system and GE’s new FlexEfficiency turbine technology. A FlexEfficiency natural-gas fired power plant is designed to rapidly increase or decrease power feeds into the grid in response to intermittent production from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. GE is calling this Turkish power plant the first “integrated renewables combined cycle” system. The U.S. firm Clipper Wind opened a representative office in 2010 in Istanbul, and U.S. geothermal project developers and equipment suppliers are chasing several geothermal projects in Western Turkey. In addition, the U.S. Department of Energy is leading an innovative Near Zero Zone development in Izmir to develop a pilot project in energy efficiency using U.S. technology, in partnership with GE Ecoimagination, Shaw Group and Johnson Controls.Turkish firms are hungry for U.S. equipment and technology in both renewable energy and energy efficiency, particularly important given high energy costs in Turkey and the need to lower production costs to remain competitive internationally. The U.S. Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Turkey receives five to seven inquiries per month for potential U.S. suppliers of renewable energy and energy efficiency equipment, services and technology (see trade mission opportunity below). U.S. exporters can become even more competitive by offering trade finance to their Turkish importer, and U.S. EximBank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development offer attractive terms to fund sales of American equipment.Based on recent market research by the U.S. Commercial Service in Turkey, the following areas have significant business opportunities for American firms in the next six to 36 months:Wind turbinesGeothermal exploration, drilling and geophysical engineering servicesGeothermal power plant equipmentBiomass power generationWaste to energy systems and solutionsHydroelectric power plant equipment supplySolar power generation systemsMicroturbines, cogeneration systemsCoal gasification and coal-bed methane systems and solutionsEnergy efficiency systems and solutionsFuel cells, heat pumps

A Solar City Tries to Rise in Turkey

Installing PV arrays across one half of one percent of Turkey's landmass could supply the nation's current electrical capacity By Julia Harte, SolveClimate NewsANTALYA, Turkey—Turkey's weak policy support for solar power hasn't stopped the sun-soaked southern city of Antalya from forging ahead with plans to exploit its solar resource — and to encourage other local governments to follow suit.In April, Antalya opened its long-awaited "Solar House," the first step in its push to become Turkey's first and only solar city.The environmental education center and renewable energy showcase boasts 24 one-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) panels, among other clean energy solutions such as a windmill and a track that generates power from bicycles.The model house cost about $600,000 and was 90 percent funded by Turkish companies and 10 percent by the United Nations Development Program. It will produce and store all the energy it consumes and feed excess power back into the grid — though it won't profit from doing so.The country's energy authority doesn't yet buy surplus electricity from small producers of solar power. This is partly why the cost of installing solar panels remains prohibitive for nearly all Antalya residents, local observers say."We need to show the Turkish people how we can produce solar energy, because it's a very new concept for most Turks," Mustafa Akaydın, the mayor of Antalya, told SolveClimate News in an interview. According to Akaydın, the Solar House is "preparation" for its wider Solar City Green Antalya plan. Over the next decade and a half, the municipality hopes to transform itself into a clean energy dynamo on par with solar cities like Malmö, Sweden and Barcelona, Spain.Though the financial support structure for the program is still fuzzy, the goal, at least, is clear: "We want to be the pioneers here and show the rest of the country about this solar potential," said Akaydın.Massive Untapped PotentialMore than one million terawatt-hours of solar radiation hit Turkey each year. Solar leaders Spain and California, by comparison, receive approximately 0.8 million terrawatt-hours annually.Theoretically, installing PV arrays across some 770 square miles — one half of one percent of Turkey's landmass — could supply the nation's current electrical capacity.At present, PV systems account for just 5 megawatts of installed capacity. Turkey's 8-gigawatt solar thermal capacity is seen as slightly more promising, but still accounts for less than 1 percent of the country's overall energy production.Antalya's municipal government doesn't yet have a goal for how much extra solar power capacity it hopes to add. For now, there is no accepted international definition of what it takes to earn the moniker of "solar city," though several dozen such cities are said to exist throughout the world, including 25 in the United States.The European Solar Cities Initiative, a project of the International Solar Energy Society, defines solar communities by their "large-scale integration of sustainable energy sources into city planning and urban concepts."In that spirit, Antalya is developing other renewable energies besides solar. A new waste management plant, for instance, will collect 60 percent of the city's sewage and turn it into purified mud, which can then be converted into biogas.The biogas-to-energy conversion facility is still under construction — a new component was finished the same week the Solar House opened — but in two months it will have a capacity of 2 megawatts, according to Münevver Ateş, environmental director at the plant. Once the facility is able to collect all the sewage in the city, its capacity will double.More important than its capacity, however, is the fact that Antalya's plant will produce all the energy it consumes, said Ateş, making it the only sustainable waste management plant in Turkey. "Many Turkish visitors come to study our example."Starting with the RooftopsAntalya's effort to boost its solar capacity will begin with a campaign to encourage individuals to install solar panels on their houses, though it won't be easy.The city currently has between 1 and 2 megawatts of solar power atop local residences, according to Ateş Uğurel, chairman of the Turkish Photovoltaic Industry Association, and founder of Temiz Dunya, the eco-architectural firm that designed Antalya's Solar House. They may not be able to add much more because many Antalya residences are tall apartment buildings with small rooftops already full of thermal heaters, he said."There simply isn't enough space."And then there's the cost. The average Turkish house requires 3 kilowatts of electrical capacity. That amount of solar power costs approximately $10,000 to install, Uğurel said.Widespread adoption should have an impact on costs. In about one month, Mayor Akaydın said he expects the passage of a municipal bylaw that would require future apartment buildings to be lit with PV panels.After the residential campaign, the municipality will install solar power in city parks and gardens; increase its use in Antalya's abundant greenhouses; and encourage local hotel owners to install solar power.To date, the municipal government has installed 60 kilowatts of solar power — 24 kilowatts in the Solar House and the remainder in traffic lights.Solar-Powered Tourism"Antalya has the biggest solar potential in its tourism sector," which attracts 50 million visitors a year, said Uğurel.According to him, rooftops on the city's hotels are big enough that installing PV panels would be a wise upfront investment for owners, providing free electricity once the systems pay for themselves. Improving the solar capacity of Antalya's hotels, Akaydın explained, might also draw more eco-tourists."There's a trend in the world where tourists prefer an ecologically aware city as a destination," he said. "Because of this, some hotel owners are now starting to use solar energy in new constructions."During the final stages of Antalya's transformation into a solar city, the municipality intends to construct a solar farm and nurture a homegrown PV production industry.Plans are already underway for a 100-kilowatt solar "forest" near Antalya, with "trees" composed of PV arrays designed by Mehmet Bengü Uluengin, an ecological architect and professor at Bahçeşehir University in Istanbul, who also designed the Solar House.According to Uluengin, any city aiming to clean up its energy portfolio should start by reducing the amount of energy it consumes."That is where the low-hanging fruit are," he said. "It is much cheaper, and more logical, to eliminate a kilowatt of energy use than to cater to its production via solar."Uluengin also pointed out that for solar to become widely used in Turkey the country's entire energy transmission network would need to be upgraded to a smart grid that could accommodate not only millions of consumers, but also millions of producers."Antalya could become a solar city without necessarily using solar energy at high levels," said Uğurel. "It could educate many people about solar, and use solar architecture to reduce the need for heating and cooling."No Political AlliesWith the exception of Antalya's municipal government, solar power has few political allies in Turkey.The central government passed an amendment to Turkey's renewable energy law at the end of 2010, introducing a new feed-in tariff for solar power of $0.133 per kilowatt-hour. That's just under 10 euro cents per kilowatt, far less than the 45.7 and 33 euro cents that Germany and Spain, respectively, offer their solar producers.In addition, the new amendment restricts the amount of solar power that can be added to the grid over the next two years. Only 600 megawatts of solar power can be connected by December 31, 2013, according to the rule."If there is anything positive about the amendment, it has helped to clear out the 'speculative froth' in solar," said Uluengin."The [Turkish] Solar Expo in 2010 was packed with investors ... This year, the place was virtually deserted. The only people remaining were those truly committed to solar — those with longer-term views and more realistic expectations of returns-on-investment."When applications for new solar power projects in Turkey are submitted later this year, it will present a clearer picture of just how much interest there is in developing the country's solar resource. In the meantime, the government's meager solar subsidies are discouraging foreign companies from investing in Antalya, Akaydın argued."There are a lot of people from all over the world, especially in Germany and China, who want to invest in Antalya's solar projects," he said. "The investors are ready, but the legislation is lacking. This isn't just a task for our municipality; this is a national responsibility."The central government's apathy toward solar power is reflected in Turks' general lack of knowledge regarding solar."People still do not know of photovoltaic technology," said Solar House designer Uluengin. "At trade fairs, we have people coming up to us pointing at PV panels and asking, 'Where is the water storage tank for this thing?' In Turkey, people know solar thermal. They don't know PV."'Very Healthy'Still, Uluengin considers Turkey's solar industry "very healthy" because it is being driven by small-scale and grassroots development."Only if an industry is viable on market forces alone will it be able to survive long term," he said. In coming years, Uluengin believes that most PV systems in Turkey will be installed on the rooftops of commercial users, not in utility-scale applications.Uğurel is also highly optimistic that the solar industry in Turkey can flourish without increased government incentives.In a couple of years he expects solar power to reach grid parity, the point at which its price will rival that of conventional grid power. That's largely because of the rising costs of fossil fuel electricity. Between the first half of 2008 and the first half of 2010, electricity prices climbed roughly 30 percent for Turkish households and industry, according to European Commission figures. At the same time, the cost of PV systems is decreasing as more small Turkish entrepreneurs try their hand at producing panels, Uğurel said. "Every day, a new company enters the solar power sector."

FIT in Turkey

After months of speculation surrounding the country’s solar feed-in tariff, Turkey has now made photovoltaic power generation subsidy payments law. Under the regulation, payments for renewable energy generation will be determined as dollar cent, as opposed to Euro cent, in Turkish Parliament.Accordingly, prices for RES plants are as follows:Solar: US$13.3 cents,Biomass (including landfill gas): US$13.3 centsGeothermal: US$10.5 centsHydroelectric: US$7.3 centsWind energy: US$7.3 centsThe feed-in tariff will also support concentrated solar power (CSP) and hybrid power plants.These prices will be applied for ten years to those which apply for RES between May 18, 2005 and December 31, 2015. For companies beginning operation later than December 31, 2015, the FiT rates will be determined by the Council of Ministers.The licensing will be arranged by the supervisory Energy Market Regulatory Board, taking into consideration of Interior Ministry, Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, and also State Hydraulic Works’ opinions.Further, if the products utilized for the plants carry the ‘Made in Turkey’ stamp, additional credit will be given for five years after the facility’s establishing date. This support will be applied from US$0.4 to 2.4/kWh.There is however a 600MW cap in place up until December 31, 2013. For applications later than that date, the Council of Ministers will be authorized to determine total installed power.For the first decade, 85% discount will be applied for the power grid permission, lease, easement and certificate of occupancy fees for the facilities which will be established until December 31, 2015.

Turkey Adopts Limited Feed Law

January 17, 2011
By Paul Gipe

Turkey's parliament has revised its limited feed law with adoption of a
similarly limited policy.

Turkey has had a limited feed-in tariff policy since 2005. The previous
policy paid the equivalent of $0.07 per kWh for wind energy for a period of
seven years. By international standards, the policy was a failure.
Early this year the Turkish parliament adopted a new feed-in tariff policy of
equally limited duration, ten years, and equally limited objectives, 600 MW of
total capacity. As before, tariffs are limited as well.
The tariffs for solar photovoltaics (PV), the most costly of the new
renewable technologies, are only $0.13 per kWh, a third of that in Germany.
One departure from previous policy, Turkey will now offer incentives or bonus
payments for hardware "Made in Turkey". Solar PV systems made in Turkey would
qualify for a bonus payment of nearly $0.07 per kWh.
Industry observers have widely panned the new program as insufficient to
create the volume necessary to attract manufacturing.

Renewable-Energy Cars Heat Up in Turkey

A strange array of vehicles were seen speeding around Izmir, Turkey last week, as the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) hosted its first Alternative Energy Vehicle Races in the sunny Aegean coastal city. Thirty-eight teams entered the solar car races, while 20 teams brought vehicles to the hydrogen car competition.The event inspired Nihat Ergün, of Turkey’s Ministry for Science, Industry and Technology, to declare that the government will up its investments in renewable vehicles in coming years.Vague promises from the governmentThough Ergün expressed enthusiasm for developing renewable energies at the TÜBİTAK races, the government’s material support for these technologies has been lackluster so far.Ergün’s ministry recently published a Strategy Document for Turkey’s industrial sector between 2011 and 2014. While the paper sets some concrete goals for that time period, such as the development of Turkey’s first automotive brand, it stays vague on renewable energy targets despite frequently mentioning the need for a cleaner energy economy.The document mentions old laws that have been passed to support renewable energy in Turkey, but does not point out that these laws have so far only resulted in subsidies that are too low to make solar and wind power competitive in the wider energy marketplace.Recent reshufflings of the government ministries, though, could improve the prospects for renewable energy in Turkey. In June, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that the former Ministry of Industry and Trade would lose “Trade” and add “Science and Technology” to its name.As a result of this change, Ergün said in Izmir, his ministry will be able to focus on research and development projects more than it used to.Promising activity from international bodies, private sectorWhile the government slowly begins to appreciate Turkey’s abundant renewable resources and technological potential, private companies and international organizations are already taking advantage of them.The United Nations’ International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies, for example, has already been holding competitions for hydrogen vehicles for several years now. Solar power is widely popular at the grassroots level, as evinced by the omnipresence of solar water heaters and small PV arrays on Turkish rooftops. And Turkish investor MetCap Developments recently contracted a renewable integrated combined cycle power plant from General Electric, the world’s first application of this unprecedentedly efficient power-producing technology.The impressive turnout by university teams at the TÜBİTAK races suggests that Turkey’s next generation of scientists and engineers will be actively engaged in bringing their country into a cleaner energy future. Let’s hope the government follows their lead.

Welcome to TIREC

2011TIREC 2011 is 4 days of high level congress and exhibition, where Turkish and international renewable energy experts meet to drive innovation and do business.Over 100 leading Turkish and international renewable energy experts will speak at TIREC 2011, during 4 days of high level keynotes, interactive panel discussions and in-depth training courses. 3 focused conferences and additional seminars will ensure in-depth coverage on Wind, Solar, Geothermal and other renewables.3 leading business conferences, the TIREC exhibition, Academy training courses and the TIREC awards and networking evening.

Renewable Energy Law Unlikely to Tap Turkey’s Potential

Last month the Turkish Parliament passed a long-pending renewable green energy law written by Energy Minister Taner Yildiz. The Energy Minister says this law would create jobs and encourage investments in new sectors. While parliament agrees, environmentalists and members of the renewable-energy industry think the law doesn’t go nearly far enough to help Turkey reach its green-power potential.While Germany is seeking to get 100 percent of its energy from renewable energy by 2050 and England aims to reduce carbon emissions to zero, Turkey’s law should have promoted renewable green energy far more. Turkey, which has great wind and solar energy potential, could do better then this.Investors’ biggest concern is the feed-in tariff, or guaranteed price for energy, set by the Parliament. The renewable green energy law guarantees a price of 7.3 U.S. cents (5.6 euro cents) per kilowatt-hour for wind and hydroelectric power and wind energy, 10.5 U.S. cents (8.1 euro cents) for geothermal energy, and 13.3 U.S cents (10 euro cents) for energy from waste products and solar energy.Environmentalists say that a 24 euro cent feed-in tariff is necessary to launch a strong solar energy market in Turkey. Energy Minister Yildiz disagrees and thinks that investors will do business at those prices.

Turkey's Renewed Clean Energy Hopes

In 2004, the government of Turkey made a bet on the future: To take advantage of its solar power potential and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, the liberal Muslim nation at the crossroads of Europe and Asia passed a renewable energy law, something officials thought would spark a wave of clean energy projects.Several years later, Turkey's feed-in tariffs, which are widely thought to be inadequate, have helped increase domestic investment in alternatives, but they still haven't significantly boosted solar, wind, hydro and geothermal production—coal and gas still dominate its national energy mix.
Undeterred, last month the Turkish parliament more than doubled tariffs for PV installations, while also increasing subsidies for wind, hydro, geothermal and waste-from-energy projects. Istanbul also set an ambitious target of Turkey receiving 30% of its total power capacity from renewables by 2023.But even with the most recent moves, industry experts and environmentalists say the government is still not doing enough, insisting that new program has created bureaucratic barriers likely to deter investment in related sectors. The government itself acknowledges that more work is needed for the country to reach its long-term goals.Although multinational PepsiCo, which is committed to environmental sustainability, uses solar power in its Turkish operations, others haven't waited for the country to do more. Homegrown energy giant Senas Group has instead turned its attention to pursuing solar projects in cleantech-friendly Germany.

RENEWABLE ENERGY IN TURKEY

Turkey has abundant reserves of renewable energy, such as solar, wind and geothermal. The
benefits of exploiting these sources would be enormous:
by relying completely on indigenous resources, renewables would reduce
reliance on imported fuels and enhance Turkey's energy security.
the environmental impact of renewable technologies is far less than that of
nuclear and fossil fuel power plants. There are no emissions of greenhouse gases
or toxic wastes;
the cost of electricity from some renewable energy sources is already
competitive with many conventional technologies, and is dropping rapidly;
renewable technologies have no fuel costs and are virtually inexhaustible;
Solar
It has been calculated that Turkey receives sunlight equivalent to roughly 11
thousand times the amount of electricity generated in Turkey in 1996. Clearly,
both photovoltaic and solar-thermal systems could be used to great effect. Use
of solar thermal is already widespread. In 1995 it was calculated that solar
thermal generated 52,000 tonnes-of-oil-equivalent of heat. Indications suggest
that this could increase six-fold in the next 15 years. The potential for PV is
virtually unlimited, and the price for these systems is declining rapidly.
Wind
Wind energy is already in use in many parts of the world at a price
competitive with conventional technologies. The latest technologies can produce
electricity at 4.4c/kWh, comparable to many conventional sources1. In Turkey, w ind energy has great potential. Figures
from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) show that
Turkey theoretically has 160 TerraWatt hours a year of wind potential, which is
equivalent to twice the country's electricity productio n in 1996.
Geothermal
Turkey has one eighth of the world's geothermal potential and is ranked 7th
in the world. The cost of electricity generated from geothermal reserves is
between 3-10c/kWh. The bottom end of this range is competitive with conventional
systems. The Turkish G overnment has already recognised the potential of
geothermal and in 1972 began to implement a program of construction which would
have seen nearly 710 Megawatts installed by now. Unfortunately, the program was
not fully implemented and this rich resource remains unexploited. Recently some
local authorities have announced plans to utilise geothermal, but there is still
a lack of coordinated support from the central Government2.
NOTES:1) Elsam Power Pool Report, Denmark, , Jan 1997.
2) Yeni asir, 19.2.98.