An opposition figure tweeted, "Shut down all coal mines," just hours after the initial reports of a disastrous explosion at the Soma coalmine began flowing in. "We would rather be cold than carry the pain of dead miners in our hearts." At the time, shutting down the mines sounded like the right thing to do, as the ever-worsening situation on the ground persuaded people from across the political spectrum around the idea that something, anything, had to be done to prevent future tragedies. As the initial outrage wore off, a sizeable majority instead warmed to the idea of taking additional measures to improve Turkey's workplace safety record and taking the necessary steps to hold government officials, the mining company and the local unions accountable for their negligence.On Saturday, as the authorities called off search and rescue efforts after accounting for all missing miners, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security announced that it would require mining companies to construct rescue chambers, a type of emergency shelter aimed at providing workers with a fighting chance pending their rescue from underground.Meanwhile, opposition parties have called upon the government to ratify the Safety and Health in Mines Convention, which the International Labor Organization (ILO) adopted back in 1995. Others propose that the government ought to curb the demand for coal and reduce the pressure on mining companies to remain competitive, which typically takes a toll on miners.Introducing additional regulations and ensuring tighter enforcement, however, would run the risk of increasing the cost of business and putting an additional financial burden on millions of taxpayers since the state-run Anthracite Authority, which issues mining licenses to companies, remains the largest buyer of extracted coal. At the same time, it is important to note that a large number of mining companies continue to create jobs in local communities, while adopting good business practices.Similarly, turning to natural gas, where Turkey remains heavily dependent on foreign producers hardly represents a viable option, as the country's annual energy import bill already stands at $60 billion and gives the Turkish government a hard time in terms of cutting its current account deficit.Considering the downside of both options, the country must turn to alternative and locally available sources, namely solar energy, wind power as well as nuclear power plants.In recent years, the government has taken several steps to curb the country's reliance on foreign energy, as additional incentives for renewable energy investments, including tax cuts and purchase guarantees, began to yield results. A number of onshore wind farms, currently under construction, are expected to install a total capacity of 11,000 MW in the foreseeable future.Furthermore, the Ministry of Energy will reportedly hand out public tenders to build up the country's solar energy capacity. Currently, renewable energy sources, including hydroelectric power plants, account for approximately 30 percent of Turkey's entire electricity production.Turkish authorities have also expressed their interest in exploring nuclear energy. In July 2010, Parliament approved the government's plans to commission Rosatom for the construction and operation of a first nuclear power plant in Akkuyu, Mersin. With the $20 billion construction expected to begin next year, the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant is scheduled to begin operation by 2020.The government has also commissioned a joint consortium of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Areva to build a nuclear plant in Sinop, which is scheduled to become operational by the Turkish Republic's centennial in 2023. As such, the government plans to construct a third nuclear power plant to meet 10 percent of its energy needs through nationally owned nuclear facilities.Briefly put, Turkey must draw important lessons from the catastrophic events at the Soma coalmine in terms of industry standards, implementation and accountability.We must, however, explore alternative sources in order to reduce the country's reliance on mining companies for its energy supply without adding to an already challenging energy import bill. Unless we are willing to put more lives at risk, now is the time to act.