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GLOBAL ENERGY [R]EVOLUTION<br />

A SUSTAINABLE TURKEY ENERGY OUTLOOK<br />

4<br />

<strong>energy</strong> resources & security of supply | RESERVES & POLITICS IN TURKEY<br />

<strong>turkey</strong>: rich in its domestic reserves, poor in politics<br />

Turkey has few economic gas and oil reserves, however, it is <strong>the</strong> first<br />

country in Europe with <strong>the</strong> potential of a complete renewable<br />

<strong>energy</strong> <strong>scenario</strong>. Unfortunately, current politics do not offer this as<br />

a long term vision, but instead, rely on solving <strong>the</strong> short term<br />

security issues surrounding supply and demand.<br />

Turkey’s current <strong>energy</strong> strategy is based on becoming an <strong>energy</strong><br />

hub between east and west via oil and gas pipelines. However, this<br />

strategy does not allow Turkey to focus on long-term investment on<br />

its own domestic resources, resulting in <strong>the</strong> security of supply -in<br />

political terms, <strong>energy</strong> independence- becoming a major problem.<br />

Short sighted <strong>energy</strong> policies in <strong>the</strong> last decade have proven that<br />

increasing imports in gas and oil have rendered <strong>the</strong> economy more<br />

fragile to political tensions -especially with Russia. As well, <strong>the</strong><br />

country’s current account deficits have risen due to <strong>energy</strong> imports.<br />

Moreover, <strong>the</strong> current legal system does not encourage maximum<br />

efficiency with <strong>the</strong> use of oil and gas technology. The majority of<br />

Turkey’s lignite reserves are of low quality due to low <strong>the</strong>rmal value<br />

and high pollution content. Thus, <strong>the</strong> industry recently turned to<br />

imported coal, which is also increasingly dependent on oil prices, as<br />

<strong>the</strong> markets become global. Increasing <strong>the</strong> diversity of suppliers is<br />

considered as an option to ease <strong>the</strong> threats to security of supply.<br />

However, unless strong efficiency measures are taken, and domestic<br />

renewable energies are exploited, primary <strong>energy</strong> demand will<br />

remain one of <strong>the</strong> biggest causes of deficit in <strong>the</strong> national exportimport<br />

scheme.<br />

In preparing our alternative <strong>scenario</strong>, we limited <strong>the</strong> increase in gas<br />

demand by 2030 -<strong>the</strong> last year of most of <strong>the</strong> gas supply contracts<br />

with Russia and Iran-. We also kept <strong>the</strong> gas and crude oil demand<br />

lower than <strong>the</strong> reference <strong>scenario</strong> by increasing <strong>the</strong> efficiency<br />

standards in <strong>the</strong>ir technologies (ex: CHP and transport vehicles).<br />

It is obvious that a climate friendly <strong>energy</strong> future helps also <strong>the</strong><br />

economy by decreasing <strong>the</strong> deficits in <strong>the</strong> import-export schemes<br />

and creates wider security of supply.<br />

© HANSEN/DREAMSTIME<br />

image NUCLEAR REACTOR IN LIANYUNGANG, CHINA.<br />

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