Turkey's Natural Gas, Hydropower, and Geothermal Energy Policies

Abstract

This article deals with Turkey's natural gas, hydropower, andgeothermal energy policies. Turkey has made repeated efforts to increase foreign investment in its power industry. Turkey's energy demand is growing at 8% a year, one of the highest rates in the world. But investment has lagged far behind what is required to ensure reliable supply. Turkey's energy use causes serious air pollution problems. Furthermore, the government forecasts strong growth in fossil fuel use, including a four-fold increase in coal use by 2020 that would cause large greenhouse-gas emissions. While the forecasts may overestimate fossil fuel demand growth, the government must address the environmental issues rapidly. Specifically, Turkey needs a strategy that allows it to assume a concrete greenhouse gas emissions target no later than the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Natural gas consumption is the fastest growing primary energy source in Turkey. Turkey has supplied main natural gas needs from Russia; however Turkmen and Iranian gas represent economically sound alternatives. Hydroelectricity accounts for 45% of Turkey's total installed. Turkey continued, despite strong international criticism, to pursue its plans to construct the 1,200-megawatt Ilısu hydroelectric project. Ilısu is part of the Southeastern Anatolian Water Project, known as GAP. When completed, GAP will consist of 22 dams and 19 hydroelectric plants on the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. Turkey has a total gross hydropower potential of 433 GW, but only 125 GW of the total hydroelectric potential of Turkey can be economically used. Turkey plans to increase hydropower production in the near future by especially using her small and micro hydroelectric plants (SHEPs and MHPs, respectively). Turkey is one of the geothermally potential rich 7 countries in the world. More than 1,000 hot and mineral water springs up to 373 K and 413 K geothermal fields with a temperature range of 313 to 505 K have been discovered in Turkey. Turkey has shot up the list of top direct use geothermal countries in recent years.