The Uludağ Energy Summit, organized under the leadership of the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BTSO) Energy Council, opened its doors at Bursa Business School with the theme of “Future Energy Strategy”. The summit, which will host leading figures in the energy sector for two days, set out with the aim of being an important platform where future energy policies and strategies will be shaped. The opening program of the summit was attended by Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Dr. Zafer Demircan, Bursa Governor Erol Ayyıldız, BTSO Board Chairman İbrahim Burkay, BTSO Energy Council Chairman Erol Dağlıoğlu and many sector professionals.
President Burkay: Energy is a National Issue
BTSO Board Chairman İbrahim Burkay, in his speech at the opening of the summit, emphasized that energy is among the most strategic elements of social and economic development. Drawing attention to the fact that the most important struggles throughout human history have been experienced in the field of energy, Chairman Burkay stated that they see energy as a national issue and that they aim to make the greatest contribution as the Bursa business world to the efforts carried out under the leadership of the Ministry to reduce Türkiye's external dependency in energy.
The Ministry's Vision Guides the Business World
Stating that the importance of energy is increasing with the technological developments in the world, President Burkay expressed that they appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources to increase the competitiveness in the sector, encourage localization and strengthen supply security. Emphasizing that the “Energy Transformation and Renewable Energy 2035” vision announced by Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, together with the HIT-30 High Technology Investment Program and 2030 Strategy Documents of the Ministry of Industry and Technology, is an important roadmap for the business world, Burkay said that as the Bursa business world, they are working with all their might to make strong contributions to this process.
Regional Energy Agencies Proposal
Drawing attention to the increase in global energy demand, President Burkay predicted that global electricity consumption will increase by as much as Japan's annual consumption each year in the next three years. Burkay stated that Türkiye's energy demand, which has tripled in the last 20 years, is expected to reach 2035 terawatt-hours by 510, and that low-carbon development solutions have become inevitable in order to make this growth sustainable. Burkay, who stated that green and digital transformation are the priority issues of the business world, emphasized that green energy is indispensable for the export-based growth target. Stating that they think that the establishment of regional energy agencies, which they have been talking about since 2013, will be an important step at this point, Burkay stated that these agencies, which will be established under the coordination of the Ministry, will be an important breakthrough in ensuring energy supply security. Burkay, who stated that Türkiye's renewable energy potential is the greatest opportunity in this transformation, added that the target of increasing the RES and GES capacity from 30 thousand megawatts to 120 thousand megawatts is a call for the business world, but new steps are needed in the areas of capacity allocations, incentive mechanisms, permit processes and market predictability to achieve this target.
TEKNOSAB is a Pioneer Model in Renewable Energy
President İbrahim Burkay stated that as BTSO, they have always focused on strategic areas that contribute to Türkiye’s development goals and that the energy sector is at the forefront of these areas. In this context, he noted that in addition to important steps such as the Green Growth Project, Energy Efficiency Center and Sectoral Councils, they have also implemented Türkiye’s first high-tech OIZ, TEKNOSAB. Burkay stated that TEKNOSAB is not only a center for advanced technology production but also for energy efficiency and environmentally friendly production, and that the energy produced on the roofs of 140 large facilities in the region has reached 850 MW, while their total self-consumption has reached 3 GW. Burkay also stated that they continue their work for cell production with BBSolar subsidiaries, and emphasized that achieving a more efficient, more competitive and more sustainable structure for the energy sector is among their biggest goals. Hoping that the Uludağ Energy Summit will provide a solution-oriented and visionary environment that inspires not only the energy sector but also the entire business world, Burkay thanked BTSO Energy Council President Erol Dağlıoğlu and the council members.
Governor Ayyıldız: Energy is a Strategic Necessity
Bursa Governor Erol Ayyıldız stated that energy is a vital issue with strategic importance and said, “Energy has become an important element for countries as much as blood circulation is important for the human body.” Expressing that energy has become one of the most important indicators of power for national economies, Governor Ayyıldız drew attention to the successful developments Türkiye has made in terms of energy diversity and efficiency in the last 22 years and thanked the Ministry. Stating that he finds it important to organize such a summit in a city like Bursa with a strong economy and high energy needs, Governor Ayyıldız thanked the BTSO President who led the summit and those who contributed.
Council President Dağlıoğlu: Sectoral Road Maps Should Be Created
BTSO Energy Council President Erol Dağlıoğlu stated that the Energy Council, which represents the common mind of the energy sector, is an important structure that brings together the public, private sector, academia, local governments and all energy stakeholders under a common roof. Stating that they are working to create sectoral roadmaps as a council, Dağlıoğlu said that as technology use and digitalization increase in the world, the need for energy also increases and this situation brings green energy to the forefront. Noting that Türkiye is located in a very advantageous geography in terms of renewable energy production, unlike fossil fuels, Dağlıoğlu emphasized that Türkiye's energy imports create serious pressure on the current balance and therefore domestic and renewable energy sources are no longer a choice but a necessity. Expressing that Türkiye's potential in this area, especially wind and solar, is very high, Dağlıoğlu stated that as the business world, they know the value of green energy and that green energy forms the backbone of the transformation in energy with the support of the state. Dağlıoğlu, who pointed out that the world will experience as much change in the next five years as in the past 150 years, stated that it is necessary to prepare for changes such as artificial intelligence, big data, data centers and electric vehicles, and said that they aim to build a common sense platform focusing on change in the world with this summit they host as the BTSO Energy Council.
Deputy Minister Demircan: Türkiye's Energy Vision and Transformation Strategies
The key speaker of the summit, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Dr. Zafer Demircan shared Türkiye's energy vision and strategies with the participants. Expressing his satisfaction with the summit held with intellectual participation on such an important subject, Deputy Minister Demircan thanked BTSO for hosting. Stating that there was a period in which all routines were broken in the field of energy and new systems were discussed, Demircan stated that especially after the pandemic, energy perceptions have completely changed and the system has been turned upside down. Emphasizing that new concepts such as artificial intelligence and big data have deeply affected the energy sector, Demircan said that the next process will be different from the previous ones and therefore a change in mentality and strategy is needed.
Drawing attention to the fact that Türkiye has undergone a significant transformation in the energy sector in the last 20 years, Demircan reminded that 20 years ago there was only 35 thousand MW of installed power. Stating that the transformation in Türkiye started with the transition to the free market in 2001-2002 and that the private sector was included in the system, Demircan emphasized that one of the most important elements of the Ministry's strategies is the 2053 net zero carbon target. Reminding that 70 percent of emissions are energy-related, Demircan stated that they had to ensure this transformation upon the instructions of the President, and that ensuring supply security and reducing external dependency were other important pillars of their strategy. Stating that Türkiye is not rich in hydrocarbons and that despite the acceleration of oil and natural gas exploration, the results obtained are not at a level that will reduce external dependency, Demircan said that they are working towards production targets in Sakarya and Gabar and accelerating exploration activities in the Black Sea and the Southeast. Emphasizing the importance of diversifying energy sources and shifting from a single source to multiple sources, Demircan stated that they are demonstrating a strategic approach to increase domestic and renewable production. Demircan, who touched upon the difficulties experienced in domestic coal production, announced that a new support will be announced in the near future to support domestic coal. Emphasizing that it is imperative to increase renewable energy and reduce imports by diversifying energy sources, Demircan stated that nuclear energy plays an important role in diversifying sources and provided information about nuclear energy projects in Akkuyu, Sinop and Kıyıköy. Demircan also shared data on Türkiye's progress in renewable energy investments and future goals.
Following the opening speeches, plaques were presented to the summit sponsors. The Uludağ Energy Summit will continue for two days with panels and special speakers on various topics such as Local Technology and Mega Energy Investments, Financial Transformation in Energy Investments, and Transformation Strategy in Fossil Fuels.
