Cem Aşık, Chairman of EÜD, evaluated “Turkey’s National Energy Plan” in the 345th issue of Gas&Power Magazine

First of all, when we first look at the plan, we see that it is planned to increase the installed capacity of SPP by 5.5 times and the installed capacity of WPP by 2.5 times by 2035 in order to support the decarbonisation target of our country. In order to achieve these targets, it will be necessary to work on infrastructure investments, especially transmission and distribution, the use of new technologies such as storage, demand response policies and regulatory arrangements that will reduce the bureaucratic burden of investments.

On the other hand, while the installed capacity of coal power plants, which are difficult to finance and require large investments to make them carbon neutral, is expected to increase by 3,000 MW by 2035, no increase is foreseen in the capacity of flexible natural gas power plants that will pave the way for increased renewable generation. This point can be reviewed, especially considering that natural gas has joined our domestic resources with the gas discovery in the Black Sea.

By publishing the Hydrogen Technologies Strategy and Roadmap, Turkey became one of the pioneering countries to officially announce its hydrogen strategy to support decarbonisation targets. In this plan, which has very high targets, we think that first of all, as a country, we should avoid using our diminishing fresh water and make regulations that direct investors to sea water, which we have in abundance. In addition, it would be very useful to create a supply chain model that maximises added value for hydrogen by bringing together the industry, gas distribution and electricity generation sectors.

I would like to thank the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources for preparing this plan, which sets out our country’s energy strategies with long-term and sustainable targets and increases predictability for investors.

Source: PETROTURK