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The energy policy of Turkey is to secure national energy supply [1] and reduce imports, [2] as in the 2010s fossil fuel costs were [3] a large part of Turkey's import bill. [4] This includes using energy efficiently. However, as of 2019 [update] , little research has been done on the policies Turkey uses to reduce energy poverty, which also include some subsidies for home heating and electricity use. [5] The energy strategy includes "within the context of sustainable development, giving due consideration to environmental concerns all along the energy chain". [2] Turkey's energy policy has been criticized for not looking much beyond 2023, [6] not sufficiently involving the private sector, [7] and for being inconsistent with Turkey's climate policy. [8]
Turkey meets a quarter of its energy demand from national resources. [9] But, as of 2019 [update] , the country is almost 40% fossil fuel energy dependant on Russia. [10] In the 2010s fossil fuel imports were probably the biggest structural vulnerability of the country's economy: [4] they cost $41 billion in 2019, about a fifth of the total import bill, [11] and were a large part of the 2018 current account deficit [12] and debt problems.
To secure energy supply the government is building new gas pipelines, [4] and diversifying energy sources. As of 2020 [update] there is a surplus of electricity generation capacity, [13] however the government aims at meeting the forecast increase in demand for electricity in Turkey by building the first nuclear power plant in Turkey and more solar, wind, hydro and coal-fired power plants. [14] As an oil and gas importer Turkey can increase security of supply by increasing the proportion of renewable electricity. [9] The International Energy Agency has suggested that Turkey implement a carbon market. [15] In the long term a carbon tax would reduce import dependency by speeding development of national solar and wind energy. [16]
Because government in Turkey is very centralised energy policy is a national policy. However at certain times of year the east generates excess electricity as it has most hydroelectricity in Turkey, but far less industry and population than the west. This was part of the cause of the nationwide blackout in 2015 and therefore policy includes improving electricity transmission. [17] As well as natural gas storage and regasification plants, [18] the government supports pumped-storage hydroelectricity. [19]
Despite the Energy Efficiency Law and target to reduce energy intensity by at least 20 percent between 2011 and 2023; between 2005 and 2015 Turkey's energy intensity increased by 7 percent. [15] According to one study if energy policy was changed, most importantly to remove fossil fuel subsidies, at least 20% of energy could be saved in 2020. [20] Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said in 2019 that improvement of public buildings should take the lead and that efficiency improvements are an important source of jobs. [21]
In the 21st century fossil fuel subsidies are around 0.2% of GDP, [22] including US$1.6 billion annually between 2015 and 2017. [5] The energy minister Fatih Dönmez supports coal [23] [24] and most energy subsidies are to coal, [25] which has been strongly criticised by the OECD. [26] Capacity mechanism payments to coal-fired power stations in Turkey in 2019 totalled 720 million lira and to gas-fired power stations in Turkey 542 million lira. [27] As of 2018 [update] the tax per unit energy on gasoline was higher than diesel, [28] despite diesel cars on average emitting more lung damaging NOx. [29] The price of residential gas and electricity is set by the government. [30]
The purpose of the capacity market for electricity is claimed to be to secure supply: however despite almost all natural gas being imported some gas-fired power plants received capacity payments in 2019 whereas some non-fossil firm power such as demand response could not. [31] State-owned BOTAŞ controls 80% of the natural gas market and thus the price, [32] and due to the many sources of supply in the region and liquefied natural gas from overseas [33] wholesale prices in USD are forecast to remain stable or decrease in the long-term. [34] [35] However the wholesale gas market is not as competitive as in the EU, as Turkey does not want to split up BOTAŞ or give other power companies in Turkey fair use of BOTAŞ’ pipelines, so has not joined ENTSO-G. [15] Turkey's long-term contracts with all its current suppliers –Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran– are due to expire in the 2020s. [4] Exploration for gas in the Eastern Mediterranean is subsidized [36] [25] and is a cause of geopolitical tension due to the Cyprus dispute. [37]
Coal in Turkey is heavily subsidized. [39] As of 2019 [update] the government aims to keep the share of coal in the energy portfolio at around the same level in the medium to long term. [40] The place of coal in the government's energy policy was detailed in 2019 by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), Turkey's lobbying organisation. [41] Despite protests against coal power plants [42] Afşin-Elibistan C is being constructed by Turkey's state owned generator and Emba Hunutlu with Chinese finance. [43] Even in cities where natural gas is available the government supports poor households with free coal. [38]
As of 2018 [update] for residential consumers ”high cost is the most important problem of Turkey’s energy system”. [44] Europe supports energy efficiency and renewable energy via the 1 billion euro Mid-size Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (MidSEFF). [15] Up to 150kWh per month free electricity is provided to 2 million poor families. [45] Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency said in 2019 that, because of its falling price, the focus should be on maximizing onshore wind power in Turkey. [46] The economics of coal power have been modelled [47] by Carbon Tracker and they calculate that by 2020, both new wind and solar power were cheaper than building new coal power plants; and they forecast that wind will become cheaper than existing coal plants in 2027, and solar in 2023. [48]
Without subsidies new and some existing coal power would be unprofitable, and it is claimed that path dependence, political influence, and distorted markets are what is keeping it going. [49] Although the coal industry and the government are said to have a close relationship, economic downturn and the falling cost of wind and solar may increase pressure on coal subsidies. [50] Future import of gas from Northern Iraq may depend on relationships with the KRG, the central government of Iraq and Rosneft. [51] Hydroelectric plants, especially new ones, are sometimes controversial in local, international and environmental politics. [52] The EU might be able to persuade Turkey to cooperate on climate change by supporting policies that reduce the country's external energy dependency in a sustainable manner. [15]
State energy companies include: Eti Mine, Turkish Coal Enterprises, Turkish Hard Coal Enterprises, the Electricity Generation Company, BOTAŞ and TEİAŞ - the electricity trading and transmission company. [53] The government holds a quarter of total installed electricity supply and often offers prices below market levels. [54]
Nuclear safety regulations and human resources could be improved [55] by cooperation with Euratom. [15] In 2018 a new regulator was set up and $0.15 per kWh of generated electricity will be set aside for waste management. [56]
A plan for solar power in Turkey beyond 2023 is needed [57] and amending regulations on rooftop solar panels has been suggested to simplify installation on existing buildings and mandate for new buildings. [58]
In an attempt to reduce fossil fuel imports local production of electric cars and establishing solar cell factories is supported. [59]
Retrofitting equipment for pollution control such as flue-gas desulfurization, at old lignite-fuelled plants such as Soma, [60] might not be financially possible, as they use outdated technology. [61] Data on SO2, NOx and particulate air pollution from each large plant is collected by government [62] but not published.
The energy policy aim of reducing imports (e.g. of gas) conflicts with the climate change policy aim of reducing emission of greenhouse gases as some local resources (e.g. lignite) emit a lot of CO
2. According to Ümit Şahin, who teaches climate change at Sabancı University, Turkey must abandon fossil fuel completely and switch to 100% renewable energy by 2050. [63]
During the late 20th and early 21st centuries the country was very exposed to oil and gas price volatility. [64] However around the turn of the century many gas fired power plants were built, and BOTAŞ extended the national gas pipeline network to most of the urban population. [65] As Turkey has almost no natural gas of its own this increased import dependancy, particularly on Russian gas. [66] Therefore many more regasification plants and gas storage (such as the gas storage at Lake Tuz) were built in the early 21st century, thus ensuring a much longer buffer should the main international import pipelines be cut for any reason. However growth in Turkish electricity demand has often been overestimated. Although much energy infrastructure was privatised in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as of 2020 [update] , energy remained highly state controlled. [64] The nuclear power debate has a long history, with the 2018 construction start at Akkuyu being the sixth major attempt to build a nuclear power plant since 1960. [67]
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements; chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when dead plant matter decays into peat and is converted into coal by the heat and pressure of deep burial over millions of years. Vast deposits of coal originate in former wetlands—called coal forests—that covered much of the Earth's tropical land areas during the late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) and Permian times.
A fossil fuel is a fuel formed by natural processes, such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms, containing energy originating in ancient photosynthesis. Such organisms and their resulting fossil fuels typically have an age of millions of years, and sometimes more than 650 million years. Fossil fuels contain high percentages of carbon and include petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Commonly used derivatives of fossil fuels include kerosene and propane. Fossil fuels range from volatile materials with low carbon-to-hydrogen ratios, to liquids, to nonvolatile materials composed of almost pure carbon, like anthracite coal. Methane can be found in hydrocarbon fields either alone, associated with oil, or in the form of methane clathrates.
Sustainable energy is the practice of using energy in a way that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
India is the world's third largest producer and third largest consumer of electricity. The national electric grid in India has an installed capacity of 368.79 GW as of 31 December 2019. Renewable power plants, which also include large hydroelectric plants, constitute 34.86% of India's total installed capacity. During the 2018-19 fiscal year, the gross electricity generated by utilities in India was 1,372 TWh and the total electricity generation in the country was 1,547 TWh. The gross electricity consumption in 2018-19 was 1,181 kWh per capita. In 2015-16, electric energy consumption in agriculture was recorded as being the highest (17.89%) worldwide. The per capita electricity consumption is low compared to most other countries despite India having a low electricity tariff.
The energy policy of the United States is determined by federal, state, and local entities in the United States, which address issues of energy production, distribution, and consumption, such as building codes and gas mileage standards. Energy policy may include legislation, international treaties, subsidies and incentives to investment, guidelines for energy conservation, taxation and other public policy techniques.
The current energy policy of the United Kingdom is set out in the Energy White Paper of May 2007 and Low Carbon Transition Plan of July 2009, building on previous work including the 2003 Energy White Paper and the Energy Review Report in 2006. It was led by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, then headed by Amber Rudd. The current focus of policy are on reforming the electricity market, rolling out smart meters and improving the energy efficiency of the UK building stock through the Green Deal.
The energy policy of India is largely defined by the country's expanding energy deficit and increased focus on developing alternative sources of energy, particularly nuclear, solar and wind energy. India ranks 81 position in overall energy self-sufficiency at 66% in 2014.
Energy in France is the energy and electricity production, consumption and import in France.
The energy policy of Australia is subject to the regulatory and fiscal influence of all three levels of government in Australia, although only the State and Federal levels determine policy for primary industries such as coal.
Fossil fuel phase-out is the gradual reduction of the use of fossil fuels to zero use. Current efforts in fossil fuel phase-out involve replacing fossil fuels with alternative energy sources in sectors such as transport, heating and industry.
Energy subsidies are measures that keep prices for consumers below market levels or for producers above market levels, or reduce costs for consumers and producers. Energy subsidies may be direct cash transfers to producers, consumers, or related bodies, as well as indirect support mechanisms, such as tax exemptions and rebates, price controls, trade restrictions, and limits on market access.
Energy in Germany is sourced predominantly by fossil fuels, followed by wind, nuclear power, solar, biomass and hydro.
Turkey is located in an advantageous position in the Middle East and Southeast Europe for solar energy. Solar potential is very high in Turkey, especially in the South Eastern Anatolia and Mediterranean provinces. Compared to the rest of the region, insolation values are higher and conditions for solar power generation are comparable to Spain. 7.5 TWh was generated in 2018 which was 2.5% of Turkey's electricity. Installed capacity was 5GW, with the Energy Ministry planning to have another 10GW installed in the 2020s. However solar power in Turkey could increase far more quickly if subsidies for coal were abolished and the auction system was improved.
The distinct methods of electricity generation can incur significantly different costs and these costs can occur at significantly different times relative to when the power is used. Also, calculations of these costs can be made at the point of connection to a load or to the electricity grid. The costs include the initial capital, and the costs of continuous operation, fuel, and maintenance as well as the costs of de-commissioning and remediating any environmental damage.
Turkey consumes over 6 exajoules of primary energy per year, over 20 megawatt hours (MW/h) per person. 88% of energy is fossil fuels and the energy policy of Turkey includes reducing fossil fuel imports, which are over 20% of import costs and three quarters of the current account deficit. Greenhouse gas emissions by Turkey are about 6 tons/person year, which is more than the global average.
The Electricity Generation Company is the largest electric power company in Turkey. Owned by the government it produces and trades electricity throughout the country.
Each year about 300 TWh of electricity is used in Turkey, which is almost a fifth of the amount of primary energy in Turkey. As the electricity sector in Turkey burns a lot of local and imported coal the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions by Turkey is the country's coal-fired power stations, many of which are subsidized. Imports of gas, mostly for power stations in Turkey, is the main import cost for the economy of Turkey. However solar power in Turkey and wind power in Turkey are being increased and balanced by the country's existing hydropower.
Greenhouse gas emissions by Turkey are the contributions within Turkey to the emission of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide or hydrofluorocarbons. Turkey's human contributions to emissions can be segmented by sector, such as looking specifically at Turkey's power stations or transport. In addition, the natural and agricultural landscape of Turkey contribute to its national greenhouse gas emissions, with methane and N2O from agriculture more than offset by carbon dioxide trapped in forests, thus slightly reducing Turkey's overall emissions. Turkey's policies on energy, industry, and its explicit policies on climate change affect its level of emissions, and these policies are shaped by the relationship between emissions and economic activity. Finally, media, academic, and individual figures have provided commentary on Turkey's policies and levels of emissions.
Coal supplied over a quarter of Turkey's primary energy from the 1990s to the 2010s. The heavily subsidised coal industry generates over a third of the country's electricity, causes a third of greenhouse gas emissions by Turkey and employs 38,000 people. Every year, thousands of people die prematurely from coal-related causes, the most common of which is local air pollution.
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