Turkish politics hindering renewable energy, group says

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

This photo shows a solar energy field in Konya. Hürriyet photo

Barriers to implementing the complete usage of renewable energy are political rather than technical or economic, according to the final conclusions of the International 100% Renewable Energy Conferences and Exhibitions (IRENEC), which was held in Istanbul Oct. 6-8.

“Political resistance and interest groups prevent [the 100 percent use of renewable energy],” IRENEC wrote in a press statement yesterday.

Transition to a decentralized energy system is highly hindered by the existing energy production system, which is highly centralized, according to the statement. Each building could have its own solar energy production, each forest area could have biomass energy and each windy region could have its own wind energy production point instead, it said.

About 200 representatives from universities, research institutions, energy technology and industries manufacturing, investors, managers, urban planners and architects from 30 countries participated in the conference.

Examples from Germany, Austria and Denmark presented at the conference showed how proper incentives and policies could make 100 percent renewable energy for whole cities or provinces. Political will and decisiveness in these countries has encouraged renewables, the statement said.