Turkey's Energy Research Articles

Unearthing the importance of energy transition, political globalization, and natural resources on environmental degradation for Turkey: The role of economic growth and urbanization

The switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy is at the center of the globally hunt for answers to climate change. However, each country's infrastructure and financial status are unique. The notion of energy transition is becoming more and more significant in this context, as it places emphasis on the efficiency of nations' energy systems and their readiness for the alterations in issue. Based on this, the study's goal is to look at how Turkey's political globalization and energy transition have affected the environment. In this context, the new quantile-quantile multivariate regression approach was used to examine the impacts on carbon emissions in a data set encompassing the period 1970–2020 of the innovative energy transition index, political globalization, economic development, and natural resource rents. This method makes it possible to analyze and verify the efficacy of the energy transition as well as the transition for varying emission levels. The energy transition lowers carbon emissions in all quantiles, according to the findings of the empirical assessments, although in high quantiles (high CO2 levels), the shift's pollution-reducing impact is more pronounced. Furthermore, the intermediate quantiles of carbon emissions are less affected by political globalization in terms of lowering emissions.

Turkey's wave energy potential: A PESTLE Analysis

Turkey's energy landscape is characterised by a dynamic fusion of nonrenewable and renewable sources, which are crucial for meeting the nation's electricity demands. Sources, such as natural gas and coal derivatives, ensure grid stability, while renewables, such as hydroelectric, solar, and wind power, underscore Turkey's commitment to sustainability. Although there are currently no grid-connected wave energy plants, initiatives such as the OREN Ordu Energy project demonstrate the country's growing interest in wave energy. Turkey aims to integrate wave energy into its renewable energy mix, with the help of supportive regulations and incentives. This will bolster resilience and reduce environmental impact. However, successful integration requires overcoming regulatory hurdles, technological advancements, and environmental concerns. This study discusses the potential of wave energy and the importance of increasing the rate of renewable energy, with a PESTLE analysis.

A Research on Determination of Database and Software Tool in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Method: The Sample of Turkish Building Industry

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a scientific method for quantitatively assessing the environmental, social and economicimpacts associated with a product, process or service throughout its life cycle. It is complex and time-consuming asit requires the processing of a large number of data and assumptions. "LCA databases" and "LCA software tools" arebeing developed to reduce this effort and time. With the increasing interest in the LCA method for the Turkishconstruction industry, the “TLCID” and "TurComDat" databases has been prepared; however, the software tool touse these databases have not yet been developed. This situation reveals the need for a guiding "decision supportmechanism" for the selection of the most appropriate database and software tool to be used. In this study, databasesand software tools were critically reviewed to determine their possible adaptation to the Turkish constructionindustry. It was concluded that the "SimaPro" software tool, which enables international use, and the "Ecoinvent"database supported by the software can be adapted and used with Turkey's energy average and water data. Withthis study, it is aimed to create guiding evaluations for the choices to be made within the scope of LCA.

The evaluation of renewable energy alternatives in Turkey using intuitionistic-fuzzy EDAS methodology

In recent years, high energy costs, increases in carbon emissions, and concerns about energy supply security have led countries to prioritize renewable energy sources in their sustainable energy policies. The selection and ranking of alternative renewable energy sources is a critical issue in establishing an effective energy policy and ensuring environmental improvement at the national and global levels. This study evaluates Turkey’s best renewable energy options using the institutional fuzzy assessment based on distance to mean solution (IF-EDAS) method and aims to find Turkey’s best renewable energy alternative. The decision model alternatively uses wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, wave, hydroelectric, and hydrogen energy options. According to the study’s empirical findings, while the best alternative renewable energy source for Turkey is solar energy, the best criterion in terms of criteria evaluation is “Technology Maturity”. The study also carried out sensitivity analysis, and the results were shared.

Enhancing bilateral ties: the escalation of Azerbaijan's economic investments in Turkey

This research explores the strengthening economic partnership between Azerbaijan and Turkey, particularly focusing on Azerbaijan's increasing investments in the Turkish economy since the signing of the "Trade and Economic Cooperation" agreement in 1992. It analyzes significant projects like the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipelines, which transcend mere infrastructural achievements to become strategic assets in the geopolitical landscape. These pipelines facilitate the safe transportation of hydrocarbons from the Caspian basin, bypassing traditional transit routes, and thereby reducing political and economic vulnerabilities. Additionally, Azerbaijan’s substantial investments in Turkey's PETKIM petrochemical complex and the STAR Oil Refinery are examined as strategic steps enhancing the economic depth of both countries. These investments represent more than capital inflows; they symbolize a deep-rooted strategic alliance that promotes energy independence and industrial diversification. The STAR Oil Refinery plays a pivotal role in Turkey's energy supply chain, significantly contributing to its self-sufficiency in processed oil products. This bilateral economic engagement exemplifies how states with complementary resources and strategic visions can create sustainable economic corridors, highlighting the role of economic diplomacy in shaping international relations in an increasingly interconnected global economy. The evolving partnership not only exemplifies successful bilateral cooperation but also indicates strategic foresight in using economic synergies for regional stability and prosperity.

Analysis of Environmental and Energy Policies in Turkey, the European Union and the United States

Energy consumption plays a pivotal role in the development of societies. Sustainable Energy Resources are vital inputs for daily life, and energy and industrial products are essential for economic growth (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2022). Consequently, those responsible for managing a country's energy sector must ensure the uninterrupted, reliable, timely, clean, and affordable supply of energy, as well as diversify energy sources to enhance energy security.
 The concept of "sustainable development" has emerged in response to the need to prevent irreversible environmental damage caused by conventional energy sources and outdated technologies while ensuring access to energy as a fundamental human right under optimal conditions (Pamir, N 2005). Developed societies have transitioned from planning based solely on energy source acquisition and production to a planning approach that carefully considers the energy-economy-ecology balance (3E) while taking into account resource diversity and geopolitical realities (Energy Policies and Global Developments, emo.org.tr).
 Turkey remains heavily dependent on energy imports, accounting for approximately 74% of its energy needs (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2023). The multifaceted nature of Turkey's energy strategy and its energy dependence emphasize the importance of international relations in this field.
 U.S. energy policies have global ramifications, particularly in areas such as energy resource utilization, energy trade, and energy independence (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, 2022). U.S. energy policies play a significant role in international relations, impacting relationships with other countries, especially in matters related to energy exports and imports.
 In Europe, there is uneven progress towards clean electricity, with both successes and challenges in transitioning to a low-carbon energy system. While the European energy sector has taken significant steps towards decarbonization, there has been limited progress in some countries, and much more progress is needed. Achieving a fully decarbonized energy system in Europe requires united efforts and coordination to address the challenges posed by fossil fuel dependence and climate change.

Strategic location analysis for offshore wind farms to sustainably fulfill railway energy demand in Turkey

Providing the energy demands of various sectors through the utilization of renewable energy sources offers a more sustainable and long-term approach compared to fossil fuel consumption. In this study, the proposition is made to address Turkey's rail industry energy demand through Offshore Wind Farms (OWF). Accordingly, the spatial analysis for determining the most suitable OWF location is explored. The research methodology is conducted based on a Geographic Information System-Multi-Criteria Decision Making (GIS-MCDM) hybrid approach. Alternative OWF locations are identified using GIS. Location selection criteria are established based on literature review, and a fuzzy-based decision matrix is constructed, incorporating expert opinions. To leverage two distinct fuzzy number sets, Intuitionistic Fuzzy Weighted Averaging (IFWA) and Spherical Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SF-SWARA) methods are employed for criteria weighting, followed by the aggregation of criterion weights using the Einstein Operations t-norm technique. To ensure comparable OWF alternative rankings, five different alternative ranking methods are employed to obtain alternative rankings. Ultimately, the most suitable OWF location for meeting the energy demand of the rail industry is determined to be the Izmir region. The research findings contribute to managerial perspectives by proposing recommendations concerning strategic location selection, optimized resource allocation, risk mitigation and policy alignment and sustainable long-term planning.

Turkey's national renewable energy certificate system: a comparative assessment

Turkey's national renewable energy certificate system: a comparative assessment

TÜRKİYE'S ROLE IN ENERGY SECURITY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

The process of globalization, accelerated industrial development, continuous technological advancements, and the ever-growing global population are factors that contribute to the increased utilization of existing energy sources. However, fossil energy sources are limited and inadequate in the face of these developments. Consequently, countries have started seeking alternative energy sources, leading to the utilization of renewable energy sources. This research aims to highlight the significance of Turkey, a strategically positioned country with the potential to be a key player in the energy market, in terms of energy security and its energy policies. Moreover, the study compares renewable energy sources with conventional energy sources within the context of energy security. This work is based on a literature analysis that synthesizes information obtained from existing sources, without involving fieldwork or experimental methods. The findings of this research indicate that Turkey is a country heavily reliant on energy imports. Considering its insufficient fossil fuel resources and its status as a developing nation experiencing continuous growth, it is foreseeable that Turkey's energy demand will steadily rise in parallel with its development. Turkey's current level of energy dependency poses a significant risk to its energy security. Furthermore, Turkey's geographical location places it as a natural energy bridge between the East and the West, which imposes further responsibilities in terms of energy security. To reduce Turkey's external energy dependency and diversify its energy sources, it should prioritize its existing and renewable resources, directing its investments, support, and incentives accordingly.

Determination of suitable strategies for the development of biomass energy investments in Turkey by AHP method

Biomass energy investments are very important for Turkey. Biomass energy can be an important resource for Turkey's energy security. Considering that Turkey is a foreign-dependent country for energy, these investments will contribute to the country's energy independence. In this context, it would be appropriate for Turkey to take action to increase biomass energy investments. The purpose of this study is to identify appropriate strategies to increase biomass energy investments in Turkey. Within this framework, four different criteria are selected by focusing on literature review. In the following stage, the weights of these items are calculated by AHP methodology. The findings indicate that technological plays an essential role to improve the biomass energy investments in Turkey. Additionally, legal efficiency should also be taken into consideration in this context. However, financial evaluation and customer satisfaction are on the last ranks. It is understood that technological development is of great importance to increase biomass energy investments. Technological developments can contribute to increase efficiency in biomass energy production. Thus, both efficiency of the project will be increased, and the operating costs will be reduced. This situation provides the opportunity to increase the competitiveness of biomass energy projects. Technological developments can also increase the environmental sensitivity of these projects. Owing to advancing technologies, biomass energy projects that do not cause any carbon emissions will be able to be created.

A PUBLIC ENERGY POLICY PROPOSAL FOR TURKEY IN THE LIGHT OF ECONOMETRIC FINDINGS

Energy supply security is one of the most debated issues in the energy sector in recent years. Although there is no clear agreed definition of energy supply security, there are determinations that energy should be cheap, sustainable, continuous, and available in order to ensure energy supply security. The wars and political instabilities in the region where Turkey is located have caused the issue of energy supply security to gain importance in recent years. Therefore, Turkey continues to work in areas such as oil and natural gas exploration and production, coal extraction, increasing renewable energy supply, ensuring energy efficiency, and nuclear power generation to ensure energy supply security. However, although these methods such as oil and natural gas exploration and production are useful in terms of energy supply security, they increase Turkey's fossil fuel dependency and this situation weakens Turkey's efforts to combat climate change, which is one of Turkey's goals. In this study, the impact of coal, natural gas, oil, and renewable energy production on energy dependence, which is among the most important causes of energy supply security, between 1987-2020 is analyzed by the ARDL cointegration test method. In addition, the empirical analysis is concluded by using the Toda-Yamamoto causality test to observe the causality relationship between the variables. The findings of the analysis lead to the conclusion that Turkey's domestic energy production should be restructured according to environmental priorities.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Strategies, Challenges and Policies on Turkish Sustainable Energy Development

Turkey's rapid population and economic growth have caused a significant increase in energy demand over the last two decades. As a result, a process of evaluating alternative energy strategies and policies was required to be formulated carefully along with the country's longer-term decarbonisation aims. Although Turkey's considerable renewable energy potential exists, its dependency on foreign energy and its dramatically depreciating currency have been the main drivers of revisions to these renewable energy-related policies. This paper aims to demonstrate and evaluate all the strategies and challenges of Turkey's green steps toward a sustainable future. Sustainable developments of many developed countries have been examined and compared to assess Turkish strategies and significant policies that have been taken. As findings, it has been revealed that policy revisions regarding the use of domestic technology in green power plants decelerate investments for a short time. However, it has been found that renewable energy patent applications have declined, although domestic technology in green energy plants has been promoted through these policy revisions. As a result of this dilemma, the quality and effectiveness of green research and development (R&D) in Turkey have been investigated and then benchmarked with most leading countries. It has been observed that there is no correlation and relation between the patent application and the articles on renewable energy. Therefore, the paper has provided insight into new policies and strategies to enhance the productivity of R&D for both Turkey and developing similar countries. Consequently, potential measures to increase Turkey's green energy use and production are discussed and proposed systematically, considering those findings.

Evaluation of renewable energy policies in Turkey with sectoral electricity demand forecasting.

Energy is an essential requirement for sustainable development, society, and the world. Turkey has been trying to increase the use of renewable sources in electricity energy production with the incentive policies it has implemented in recent years. Accordingly, in the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, targets to increase the installed capacity of renewable energy sources have been determined. In this context, this article examines fort the first time, the effect of installed capacity of renewable energy sources on sectoral electricity demand. Thus, the study aims to evaluate the renewable energy policies implemented in Turkey. For this purpose, firstly, sectoral electricity demands were estimated for the period 1988-2017 using the autoregressive distributed lag bound testing approach. Then, forecasts were made for the period 2019-2023 with the econometric simulation method. The findings show that the Installed Capacity variable significantly and negatively affects electricity demand in all sectors in the long run. According to the forecast results made in the second stage of the study, it was observed that the higher the increase rate in the installed capacity of renewable energy sources, the faster the electricity demand would decrease. According to these results, Turkey needs to increase the share of renewable energy sources in electricity production in terms of economic and environmental sustainability.

Techno-economic analysis of an offshore wind farm on the eastern Mediterranean Sea coast.

Turkey has rapidly become one of the top markets for onshore wind energy with a 10 GW onshore wind power installation, a significant accomplishment for the nation. It means that Turkey's wind energy capacity has more than tenfold increase in the last 10years. Despite the fact that Turkey has no offshore wind farms, research has indicated a significant and untapped energy potential. This work provides a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of the Samandag Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) project in Turkey. To undertake an economic feasibility study under different Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) and discount rates, a discounted cash flow economic model is utilized. This study takes into consideration the economic indicators utilized in decision-making processes from the perspective of an OWF investor. The planned OWF project is shown to be economically viable only provided specific techno-economic prerequisites are satisfied. Samandag City has a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE), which is roughly $69.97/MWh, according to the findings. However, the findings show that the net present value (NPV) is very sensitive to discount rates and FiT. The goal of this research is to contribute scientifically to the development of offshore wind energy in Turkey.

Energy planning based on Vision-2023 of Turkey with a goal programming under fuzzy multi-objectives

In this study, the realizability of the MENR's Vision-2023 goals is questioned under the contradictory objectives of minimum cost, minimum emission, maximum capacity factor and maximum resource potential. This is a goal-oriented programming problem with uncertain objectives. While the decision maker (DM) can determine the goals he wants to attain in this problem, he also has undefined goals (such as cost minimization) that constrain his ability to fulfill these goals. The GP-FMO model was proposed to model such a problem. The resulting model was solved by classical LP and non-dominated genetic algorithm II (NSGA II). The solution found using the classical LP is only one of the feasible solution alternatives. The non-dominated points on the Pareto efficient set obtained by the NSGA II Algorithm were presented to the decision makers as solution possibilities based on the common satisfaction levels of the uncertain goals. Prioritization of energy resources, regional allocation, and capacity increase planning were all combined in this study. All resources in Turkey's energy supply systems were discussed. The findings provide a multidimensional perspective for energy investments.

The European Union and Turkey's Energy Dependence and Its Impact on Economic Growth of Energy Consumption

Avrupa Birliği (AB) ve Türkiye’de ekonomik büyüme, kentleşme ve tüketim kalıplarındaki gelişmelerle, artan enerji talebinin yerli kaynaklardan sağlanamadığından, petrol ve doğalgaz başta olmak üzere enerjide dışa bağımlıdır. Artan enerji talebi fosil yakıtlarla karşılanmaktadır. Ekonomik büyümenin sağlanması, sanayi üretiminin sürdürülmesi, ulaşım sektöründeki artan talebin karşılanması, artan konut enerji talebinin karşılanması için enerji ithalatının sürdürülmesi gerekmektedir. Çalışmada, AB ülkeleri ile Türkiye için enerji bağımlılığı, enerji tüketimi, ekonomik büyüme, 1990-2018 yılları arasında yıllık seriler arasındaki ilişki panel veri analizi ile araştırılmıştır. Analiz sonucunda, enerji bağımlılığındaki 1 birimlik artış GDP de 5904.44 Euro’luk bir artışa neden olmaktadır. AB ve Türkiye’de enerji bağımlılığından ekonomik büyümeye doğru bir nedensellik söz konusudur. Bundan dolayı, ekonomik büyüme hipotezi geçerlidir. Buna göre, AB ve Türkiye’de enerji bağımlılığının artması büyümeyi artırıcı yönde etki yapmaktadır. Enerji bağımlılığını azaltmak için yenilenebilir enerji yatırımlarını artırmalarının yanında, enerji tasarrufu ve verimliliğini artırıcı stratejiler uygulamaları gerekmektedir. Enerji sektöründe teknolojik gelişmeler sağlandıkça dijitalleşme, enerji otomasyon program ve yazılımlarının geliştirilerek enerji kaynaklarının daha etkin kullanımı söz konusu olacaktır.

A Review on Turkey’s Renewable Energy Potential and its Usage Problems

The need for energy resources in the world continues to increase day by day. Energy demand will increase in the coming years in parallel with population growth, industrialization and technological developments, especially in developing countries. The fact that fossil energy sources cause environmental problems, their reserves will be depleted shortly, dependence on source countries causes various political and economic problems, and price instability increases the interest in renewable energy sources. Especially in developed countries, renewable energy sources such as hydraulic, wind, geothermal, solar, biomass, wave, hydrogen etc. Energy sources are used in various ways, especially electricity production. As a developing country, Turkey's need for energy resources increases day by day in parallel with its increasing population and growing economy. Turkey, which is approximately 75% foreign-dependent in terms of its current energy structure, seems to be a necessity rather than a choice to reduce this dependency on renewable energy sources. In this study, Turkey's current renewable energy potential has been revealed, and various suggestions have been made by analyzing the renewable energy potential.

Investigation of Turkey's Energy Demand in Transportation by Robust Statistical Methods

Toplumların nüfuslarının ve kalkınma düzeylerinin artması buna bağlı olarak, taşıt sayılarının ve seyahat eden kişi sayılarının da artmasıyla, dünyadaki enerji talebi de artmaktadır. Türkiye’nin enerji kaynaklarının sınırlı olması sebebiyle, sürekli artan enerji talebini ve tüketimini karşılaması gerekmektedir. Türkiye, petrol ve sıvı yakıt ithalatı ile enerji talebini ve tüketimini karşılamaktadır. Enerji ile ilgili talep ve tüketim modellerinin kurulması önemli bir adım olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, regresyon analizi tekniği yaklaşımlarından olan sağlam regresyon analiziyle, Türkiye’nin ulaşıma enerji talebi değerlendirilmiştir. Tüm yöntemler içinde, en iyi yöntemin Kantil regresyonu 0.50 olduğu belirlenmiştir. EKK yöntemine göre, Ton-Km, Araç-Km, Yolcu-Km ve Petrol fiyatı değişkenlerinin ulaşım enerjisini açıklama oranının %85,6 olduğu belirlenmiştir. Kantil regresyonu 0.50 yöntemi uygulandığında, Ton-Km, Araç-Km, Yolcu-Km ve Petrol fiyatı değişkenlerinin ulaşım enerjisini açıklama oranının %90,5 olduğu görülmektedir.

Turkey's Energy Strategic Planning in the Eastern Mediterranean: Business Planning – Challenges – Adjustments

This paper attempts to describe Turkey's energy strategy, through an approach of its strategic position, energy needs and policies. This analysis presents a modern approach to strategic analysis that concerns a country, as it uses models of international policy, business and energy analysis, which are mainly utilized in business sector of trade and energy. The combination of these models leads to a better and in-depth understanding of the Turkish political and economic reality, which determines the development and evolution of the Turkish energy strategy.

The Site Selection of Wind Energy Plants Using the MOORA Method

An important part of Turkey's energy needs is met with fossil fuel energy resources. The lack of fossil fuels to be sustainable and lead to pollution of the renewable energy resources, wind energy has led to be a very important energy resource for Turkey. Turkey Wind energy potential of Turkey is high. The initial installation costs of wind energy plants are high. For this reason, it is very important to select the wind energy plant installation sites correctly to ensure high efficiency from the plants. There are many criteria that affect the decision-making process in selecting an installation site of a wind energy plant. Therefore, installation site selection of a wind energy plant is a complex decision-making process. In this study, considering the wind speeds over the wind energy potential map, three plant sites are determined in the southeast (RES_1), north (RES_2) and southwest (RES_3) of Amasya. MOORA method (Multi-Objective Optimization on basis of Ratio Analysis), which is one of the Multi-Criteria Decision Making methods, has been used in the selection of the most appropriate installation site. Determined criteria values and benchmark weights are used in MOORA method. Using the MOORA method, the plant installation sites are ranked. After that, the most suitable wind energy plant installation site (RES_2) is determined for Amasya.