Renewable energy on top of gov’t agenda

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız announced the details of the Renewable Energy Action Plan. Speaking at a press conference, Yıldız noted that while $65 billion was invested in the 2000s for non-fossil fuels, the investments made in 2011 and 2012 have increased fivefold, reaching $310 billion. Yıldız also underlined that energy investments in the last 12 years are equal to more than the investments made in the last century combined, and remarked that they are planning to double the figures by 2023. The energy minister also noted that the main focus of Turkey's energy policies and strategies will be renewable energy. "Currently, the share of wind power in total electricity production has increased to 10.5 percent, which in turn means a $850 million decrease in natural gas imports to Turkey in 2014." Stating that at present, there are tenders for licensed solar power plants and 330 megawatts have already been put out for tender, he said: "Currently there is TL 2.5 million invested in Konya. Such efforts are made not to earn money, but to help improve the Turkish economy. The high level of interest in solar energy investments is pleasing," Yıldız said.

According to data from the International Energy Agency, global primary energy demand will be increasing by 37 percent until 2040 and demand for electrical energy is also going to increase by around 80 percent. Yıldız noted that a major part of such demand will be covered by Wind Energy Power Plants and Solar Energy Power Plants, and added that therefore, the current action plan focuses on using more renewable energy resources and building the required infrastructure and plants. He also said that Turkey's growth will continue due to its rich water, wind, solar, geothermal and biomass, local and renewable energy resources. Stating that nuclear energy's share in America and Japan are continuing to increase and the same trend is expected to be observed in countries such as Russia, North Korea and India, the energy minister announced that an additional 80 students will be sent to Russia to join the 300 students who are already there to be trained in nuclear energy. The training has been organized as part of the agreement signed between Turkey and Russia for establishing a nuclear power plant in Mersin, Turkey. Yıldız stated that students who have graduated from science, engineering and physics departments can apply for the training in order to be employed at the new nuclear power plant to be founded, and that the deadline for the applications is March 27, after which written and oral interviews will start. "Nuclear energy's share in the American energy market will increase and Japan will resort more and more to nuclear energy. The increasing trend is also expected to be observed in Russia, North Korea and India," noted Yıldız.

He also answered the questions of journalists on his four-hour helicopter journey along the possible route of the Turkish stream pipeline project together with Russian Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller. "We discussed the details of the possible project and informed them about our concerns for the environment. While Kıyıköy is one of the locations we are considering, it would be wrong to say that this is a definite project. We checked to see whether we might run into any problems on the route, which extends to Lüleburgaz and İpsala," said Yıldız.

The energy minister further noted that the ministry is taking every precaution to protect the environment, and stated that decreasing the sales costs, price negotiations, structuring the route for the pipeline and renewing the western pipeline are all part of one package with Russia.