- SABANCI HOLDING CHAIRWOMAN OF THE BOARD GÜLER SABANCI SPEAKS AT THE 11TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE OF THE ELECTRICITY MARKETS REGULATORY BOARD
- GÜLER SABANCI: “THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF ENERGY IS ENERGY EFFICIENCY”
- “WE MUST SPREAD THE NOTION OF SAVING IN ENERGY”
- “WE ARE EXPECTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ELECTRICITY EXCHANGE FOR FULL COMPETITION TO EMERGE”
- “STABLE ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT AND A LIBERAL, TRANSPARENT AND EFFECTIVE ENERGY MARKET ARE CRUCIAL IN ATTRACTING LARGE INVESTMENTS”
Sabancı Holding Chairwoman of the Board Güler Sabancı spoke at the 11th anniversary conference of the Energy Markets Regulatory Board in Ankara.
Sabancı talked about global energy markets in her speech and said; “Emerging economies cause a shift in the axis of energy consumption from the West to the East while we witness developments in energy resources with geostrategic consequences. North America managed to produce unconventional oil and gas fields to become a major exporter. Our next door neighbor Iraq will become a heavyweight player in the world oil and gas markets in the coming years. I believe that Turkey will develop a competitive energy market and take the necessary steps to become the most important energy terminal of the region“.
Sabancı said that technological advances are going full steam in renewable energy resources which are expected to decrease the share of fossil fuels in energy production portfolios and said “a total investment of 37 trillion USD is required until 2035 to meet the ever increasing energy demand in the world. Competition becomes tougher for access to financing. We are in a period where competitive technologies will earn more than others”.
-ENERGY EFFICIENCY-
Sabancı pointed at energy efficiency as the most crucial issue required to solve the equation of potential energy resources and world's increasing energy demand in the framework of all these important dynamics. Sabancı said; ”All major consumers have finally grasped the importance of energy efficiency. China announced its target of reducing its energy density by 16% until 2016. The USA is moving towards new standards to improve its fuel economy. The European Union is working on the details of its target to reduce its energy density by 20% until 2020. They will release their results at the start of the new year. Bigger actors in energy keep searching for policies, strategies and applications to bring out efficiency potentials in the value chain from the production to the consumption of energy”.
Sabancı said the place to look at while trying to solve the energy equation within the limitations of oil, gas, coal and renewable energy is in fact the largest energy resource of energy efficiency. She said; ”the steps that will move us and generations after us forward pass through energy efficiency”.
- ENERGY INVESTMENTS -
Güler Sabancı said that Turkey's current energy consumption level is one thirds of the OECD average and added; “Today we are monitored closely and attract investments by international energy circles and investors as the fastest growing OECD country in the energy markets. Turkey is among the most dynamic markets with its electricity and gas demand and its growth potential”.
Sabancı continued;”There is a great need for investment every year in all energy industries in parallel to the increase in energy demand. There are two criteria for attracting such large scale investments: first is stable management of the economy. We achieved this and must continue doing it. Second is a liberal, transparent and efficient energy market. Important steps have been taken in the recent years to increase competitiveness and accelerate investments in the electricity industry”.
Sabancı continued; “We have covered a certain amount of ground in the development of a liberal electricity market where Enerjisa is among the leaders in electricity production, trade and distribution.
However, we must develop this market further and build a more competitive structure for it. For this to happen, distribution and production privatizations must be completed in time and an exchange that can create prices towards the future must be established. We also expect to see more effective regulations that work for the real investor.”
Sabancı pointed at the necessity of improving the supply-demand balance and economic efficiency for sustainable growth in the natural gas industry and continued, “We believe that a competitive market structure will emerge in the natural gas business similar to the electricity industry. Our energy imports are one of the largest components of our current deficit and that results from the transportation industry. But we still have a significant potential in electricity production as well as local and renewable energy sources. A very important goal has been defined in this area with the acceptance of the Turkish Strategic Document for Energy Efficiency: a 20% decrease in the amount of energy to produce a unit of GDP, or energy density, from the levels in 2011! This is a significant goal!”
- COLLABORATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND INDUSTRY -
Sabancı underlined the importance of collaboration between universities and the industry, and said that the current environment sponsors science and technology. There is support from the Ministry of Industry and Science and TUBITAK, the state science institute. I believe that this support will flow into these channels
We use one thirds of our energy in building and another one thirds in the industry. We must take the necessary steps to use energy more efficiently in these areas in a coordinated fashion as public institutions, private sector, universities and NGOs. We started the Istanbul International Climate and Energy Center at Sabancı University for working on international policies and studies for the future of energy.
I am optimistic because the recent legal regulations create a good basis for us to work on achieving our energy density goal in 2023. Our industry is developing projects towards using energy more efficiently and focuses more on energy efficiency in their innovation strategies. The results we had in recycling waste heat projects at Akçansa and Çimsa are success stories showing what we can achieve towards reducing environmental impacts, energy costs and building a sustainable future with our stakeholders“.
- “WE MUST HAVE MORE SUCCESS STORIES IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY”
Sabancı made the following statements about awareness on being thrifty to end her speech; “In order for the Turkish economy to reach a structure where it uses energy more efficiently, we must increase the number of similar success stories in a broad range of industries from transportation to household appliances. We must spread the awareness of being thrifty in all areas of energy. We all know that our primary sources of energy are not sufficient to meet our increasing energy demands.
Our energy import has a huge impact on our current balance. We must improve life quality of the people by introducing streamlined energy use and at the same time introduce this awareness of saving energy to all layers of the society. We must refrain from wasting energy and use it for grow and develop Turkey into a stronger country. I believe that Turkey will be a country which is a major actor in energy in its regions, functioning like an energy hub where the energy industry produces and consumes energy more competitively, more efficiently, environment friendlier and with more awareness”.