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Geopolitics Complicates Solutions to Turkey's Soaring Energy Demand
On August 6, the citizens of Turkey consumed more electricity in one day than ever before, at a record rate of 0.39 kilowatts per person, in large part because extremely hot temperatures had pushed air conditioner usage to new levels.
The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources expects installed power capacity to double by 2020 to meet growing demand. That means 100% growth in the power sector in less than 10 years.
Turkey's energy minister, Taner Yıldız, in a speech the day after the new record was set, heralded the news. "Turkey has overcome the economic crisis experienced last year," he said, and took comfort in the increasing energy consumption as a symbol of vigorous economic growth.
But in the modern world order, where political autonomy, membership in elite markets and national security are tied to controlling fossil fuel consumption and lowering greenhouse-gas emissions, does it still make sense to celebrate the growth of Turkey's appetite for energy?
Not all Turks think so.
The day after Yıldız's speech, Turkey's largest English-language newspaper printed an editorial describing the record consumption as a symbol of “underdevelopment and poor planning.” Less than week later, Turkish Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel Eroglu highlighted the need to take “precautionary measures” against climate change in his welcoming remarks to a visiting delegation from Mexico, where the next global climate change conference will occur.
Unless another recession sharply constricts demand, however, Turkey soaring energy consumption will affect energy markets throughout Europe and Central Asia, and highlight whether renewable fuels are viable in the global marketplace, or not.
Where Will the Energy Come From?
Compared to its neighbors, Turkey is exceptionally rich in renewable energy resources — and remarkably poor in traditional fossil fuels. Three-quarters of the country's primary energy supply is imported, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, including 90 percent of the petroleum and virtually all of the natural gas it uses. Russia is Turkey's top energy supplier, followed by Iran.
Turkey's energy dependence on these countries has compromised its relationship with western nations as well as its own security within a global geopolitical hotspot.
For example, Turkey has refineries, and it recently began selling refined oil to Iran, despite U.S. and European Union sanctions, partly for profit and partly to ensure that Iran continues to sell Turkey the crude oil and natural gas it vitally needs.
Complicating the situation further, Russian-Ukrainian disputes have disrupted the transfer of natural gas from Russia not only to Turkey but Europe at large. Turkey placed no curb on the amount of crude oil that Russia shipped through Turkey's Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, despite the fact that the waterways were becoming dangerously congested, but recently began moves to reduce the shipping traffic.
To lessen its reliance on Russia and Iran and increase its own standing as an energy hub, the Turkish government has pursued development of the Nabucco pipeline that would transport natural gas from smaller countries to its east, such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, through Turkey and through Eastern Europe.
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Comments
EnergyLeaks
Submitted by Haluk Direskeneli (not verified) on August 27, 2010 - 2:56am.
Dear Editor,
It is quite difficult to get correct information on energy issues here in our country. Private companies do not wish to release negative information naturally. They wish to advise that they are profitable for their shareholders, environmentally friendly for the general public, prudent in spending, smart in their investment decisions.
On the other hand, public enterprises/ public institutions/ the ministry would like to picture the best available environment, tough in regulations, business friendly for the investors.
Are all these real ?? Not so much. Real world which we line in is completely different. If you wish to criticize not so environmentally friendly activities of private as well as public owned/ operated thermal power plants, dirty applications of deep sea discharge, lack of dust precipitators, pollution of air, water, soil, then they you receive legal warning if not intimidation. Please do note that at this time, nobody gets intimidated. Never ever.
We feel that e-group environments, are a sort of "WikiLeaks" of the virtual world, sort of "Energyleaks" of the real world. We need to learn more about EIA reports, public enterprises, new investments with imported coal firing thermal power plants, their environmental impacts, new privatizations in distribution and electric generation plants, problems of existing power plants.
This is not limited to renewable, not limited to thermal power plants but also problems in Nuclear projects. Since leaks are not reliable, we make our own interpretations until we get sound public announcements.
Do you think that the Nuclear Power plant construction in Sinop Turkey by Koreans will be as fast as Russian plant in Akkuyu?? We don't think so. Anyhow it is our pure speculation that the Sinop Nuclear Power plant contract will wait for a while, until we shall have a dependable, secure, economically sound, politically reliable new government in power, which would be after 12th Sep referendum and even after 2011 general elections.
Koreans are fully dependent on USA Foreign Office, and there should be no conflict of interest with Obama Administration. Without US foreign office approval, there will be no development in nuclear power plant construction in Sinop. US Foreign office has certain hesitation and reservations on strategic partnership and our joint security at our region. Without firm commitment from our end, they will not release an approval. So please be sure that Koreans are not alone in decision making process for nuclear technology transfer to Turkey, their finance is directly dependent on their overseas institutions, their nuclear technology is controlled by US nuclear technology licensors, all their initiatives are controlled by the big brother. Hence if you read news that the draft contract is expected to be released by the end of 2010, that is not so reliable. If it would be after July 2011 general elections, that is reasonable. Do not be too optimistic. This is politics, and this is international relations. You can only rely on your own technology, if you can create one of your own. Your comments are always welcome. Best regards
Haluk Direskeneli, Ankara based Energy Analyst
Bad News
Submitted by Katıe (not verified) on November 3, 2010 - 11:47am.
Interesting piece. Hopefully Turkey plans better than it learns Englısh!
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