17th International Energy and Environtment Fair and Conference
November 17, 2010
Turkey’s Biggest Energy and Environment Exhibition ICCI 2010 recently held
ICCI 2010-16th International Energy and Environment Fair, the most important meeting point for the energy sector hosted many novelties this year
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız who participated in ICCI 2010- 16th International Energy and Environment Fair, stated as follows about the treaty recently signed with Russia for the “construction of a nuclear power plant on Akkuyu field”, “Let’s not look at it from outside, and let’s compensate for our 40 years of delay. Even if we had chosen the least favorable project proposal, we would have been in a much better position for the last 40 years”.
ICCI 2010- 16th International Energy and Environment Fair which was organized by Sektörel Fuarcılık was held between 12-14 May 2010.
The main agenda items of ICCI 2010 was electricity production and electricity distribution privatizations, license bylaw as part of the energy legislation, targets to increase utilization of local resources, financing options for energy investments, renewable energy and legal arrangements, energy efficiency, strategy document, developments in the natural gas and oil market and EU environment chapter and climate change.
This year for the first time, bilateral meetings for developing new cooperation in the energy sector were held as well. Spain and Austria which, with recent projects they’ve implemented, took important steps towards clean energy invited the participants of ICCI 2010 to develop relevant projects in cooperation.
Sektörel Fuarcılık Chairman Süleyman Bulak who delivered a speech during the opening ceremony of the event, indicated that energy production should be diversified and privatizations in this area should continue. Bulak stated that the emphasis should be particularly on the utilization of renewable energy resources and said “Those countries that fail to invest in this area today will definitely be deprived of energy in the future. For Turkey to diversify its energy production in this area, she has to invest in wind, solar, hydro, waste and geothermal energy.” Underlining the fact that the current global crisis offers important opportunities for energy investments in Turkey, Bulak said “Turkey has to invest around 100 billion dollars until 2010 in order not to experience any outage. Otherwise our future will remain in the dark”.
On the other hand, in his speech, EPDK President Hasan Köktaş stated that Turkish economy has managed to do away with the negative influence of the crisis on every sector of the economy and that the most rapid recovery would be observed in the energy sector. Köktaş indicated that the 9-18% increase in the demand for electricity compared to the same period last year is the most significant indicator of this trend.
Köktaş indicated that, this year, they will be commissioning 10 new hydroelectricity power plants with established capacities ranging from 40 to 144 megawatts and 90% of the hydroelectricity licenses in Turkey are related to license trade rather than investment and that the allegations that somebody is making millions of dollars from this is totally untrue. Köktaş said “There has been and will always be companies who, despite their financial capabilities, were not able to make capital-intensive investments with zero return on investment for the first 3-4 years. These companies will either find partners or withdraw from the market. And the most important thing is that, as a result of these share transfers, certain foreign companies have entered the market and taken on the responsibility to make these investments”
Deputy Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and Chairman of the Advisory Board Selahattin Çimen who indicated that there are 2 million people in the world with unhealthy access to energy, underlined the importance of sustainability and energy financing for problem-free and healthy energy production. Çimen indicated that due to climate changes and carbon emissions, nuclear energy has been gaining importance. On the other hand, in his speech he delivered during the opening ceremony of ICCI 2010, Chairman of the Board of Turkish Society for Cogeneration and Clean Energy Technologies Özkan Ağış stated that they fully support the determination of the government regarding construction of a nuclear power plant and said “Turkey can no longer ignore nuclear power. However, emphasis should be on utilizing the latest technologies both for plant design and disposal of nuclear waste.”
International Energy Agency Chief economist Dr. Fatih Birol who delivered a speech during the press meeting of ICCI 2010 reviewed the recent developments in the global oil and natural gas markets, the current status of the international meeting for climate change and the trends in the world and Europe regarding nuclear and renewable energy and provided insight as to how these developments might influence the energy sector in Turkey. In his speech, Birol explained the energy scenario developed for the next 20 years as follows “Oil will continue to be the main source of energy. Iraq is relatively cheaper and open to develop oil fields. Quite optimistically, politicians argue that there will be a rapid increase in capacity. However, even a modest success – such as doubling of current production level- could have made a great impact on the global oil market. Main problems, on the other hand, will be security, lack of sufficient infrastructure, water and personnel.”
KUTU… KUTU…
Yıldız: We will soon disclose our purchase prices for renewable energy
On its second day, Thursday, May 13th, ICCI 2010 hosted Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yıldız. During ICCI 2010, the most important renewable energy and environment fair of Turkey in its field, Minister Yıldız made statements about the inter-governmental treaty signed between Turkey and Russia for the nuclear power plant to be constructed in Mersin-Akkuyu.
In his speech, Yıldız underlined the importance of the “Treaty for Construction and Operation of the Nuclear Power Plant on Akkuyu Field” in terms of developing the relations between the two countries and in terms of diversification of supply security. Yıldız indicated that nuclear power plant investment should be evaluated not in terms of energy production only but also in terms of the new horizons it will open as a result of the technologies it will bring. Yıldız continued as follows “Let’s not look at it from outside, and let’s compensate for our 40 years of delay. The last tender was organized in 1998. Even if we had chosen the least favorable project proposal, we would have been in a much better position for the last 40 years. Nuclear power plants do not only mean power generation. With the new technologies it brings it creates new production and product fields. It allows you to produce in marginal realms. Nuclear energy improves your scientific level and engineering know-how. If the politicians in 1998 were determined enough, we wouldn’t have been talking these things today ”.
In his speech he delivered at ICCI 2010, Yıldız indicated that the treaty signed with Russia also covered the issue of transferring oil to the Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline. Yıldız also indicated that this would also decrease the accident risk in the traits and that the capacity offered by the 20 billion worth power plant would be greater than that offered by Karakaya and Keban dams combined and this is a serious amount for Turkey’s future.
Yıldız also stated that, following ICCI 2010, he would go to Greece, Austria and Azerbaijan and meet with government officials and that energy consumption levels have resumed their pre-crisis levels and that this is quite promising. Yıldız also made a statement about renewable energy investments and indicated that the draft law which is pending approval at the parliament will soon be finalized and that the price which will mean buying guarantee for the investor will soon be disclosed.
For more information, visit http://www.icci.com.tr/icci/english/
