Present Situation and Future Prospect of Energy Utilization and Climate Change in Turkey

Abstract

Turkey is heavily dependent onexpensive imported energy resources that place a big burden on the economy andair pollution is becoming a great environmental concern in the country. Themajor cities of western Turkey are cosmopolitan centers of industry, financeand trade, whereas the eastern part of the country is relativelyunderdeveloped. Turkey’s high rate of energy-related carbon emissions growth isexpected to accelerate, with emissions climbing from 57 million tons in 2000 toalmost 210 million tons in 2020. Carbon intensity in Turkey is higher than thewestern developed nation average. In this regard, renewable energy resourcesappear to be the one of the most efficient and effective solutions for cleanand sustainable energy development in Turkey. More generally, climate changeand sustainable development interact in a circular fashion. Climate changevulnerability, impacts and adaptation will influence prospects for sustainabledevelopment, and in turn, alternative development paths will not only determinegreenhouse gas emission levels that affect future climate change, but alsoinfluence future capacity to adapt to and mitigate climate change. The key toan effective climate change response strategy is a better understanding ofrelevant policy linkages. Development planners, naturally, place developmentfirst, and therefore, climate policies need to be integrated within nationalsustainable development strategies. In particular, they would like to knowwhether specific climate change impacts and response measures will makeexisting development efforts less, or more, sustainable in terms of theireconomic, social and environmental dimensions. However, developing theremaining hydropower potential offers many challenges and pressures from someenvironmental action groups over its impact has tended to increase over time.Hydropower throughout the world provides 17% of our electricity from aninstalled capacity of some 730 GW is currently under construction, makinghydropower by far the most important renewable energy for electrical powerproduction. The contribution of hydropower, especially small hydropower to theworldwide electrical capacity is more of a similar scale to the other renewableenergy sources amounting to about 47 GW of this capacity is in developingcountries. The share of renewables in total electricity generation is 17%, whilethat of thermal is 80% in 2009. The projection for the period 2010-2020 is forannual growth of 8% in total electricity generation. The additional generationcapacity needed up to 2020 will require huge investments. Electricity supplyinfrastructure in Turkey is being rapidly extended, as policymakers andinvestors increasingly recognize the essential role of energy in improvingliving standards and sustaining economic growth. This paper deals with presentsituation and future prospect of energy utilization for improving renewable energy in Turkey.