Ateş Uğurel: Bureaucratic processes in renewable energy must be shortened

Turkey's current standing in solar energy technologies, solar power plant investment processes, and solar energy storage systems were discussed at the SolarVizyon Solar Energy Congress. Within the scope of the program, current problems and solution proposals in the solar energy sector, storage of generated energy, and its integration with electric transportation were brought to the agenda by expert names.

At the congress, where Rönesans Holding served as the main sponsor, Kontrolmatik Chairman of the Board Sami Aslanhan, Rönesans Energy General Manager Gökhan Gökdoğan, YEO Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Dr. Alper Baykut, APLUS Energy Co-Founder Ozan Korkmaz, Gumbel Group Chairman of the Board Mustafa Herdem, Fichtner Turkey PV Team Turkey Head Veli Nişancı, Astronenergy Deputy General Manager Başar Yılmaz, Info Investment Research Department Expert Analyst İbrahim Şişman, IQB Solutions Co-Founder Abdülkadir Karaduman, Istoce Solar Founder Erkan Öztürk, Ember Regional Lead Ufuk Alparslan, Yeşil Büyüme CEO İlyas Gülenç, and YEO Technology R&D Manager Barış Arıcı took part as speakers.

''BUREAUCRATIC PROCESSES IN RENEWABLE ENERGY MUST BE SHORTENED''

SolarVizyon Founder Ateş Uğurel spoke at the event as follows: ''The congress primarily discusses current problems and solutions in the solar energy sector. Solar energy is currently by far the cheapest and cleanest method of electricity generation both in the world and in Turkey, but our installed capacity is still less than it should be. We need to spread solar energy to the grassroots much faster. For example, installing solar panels on residential roofs in Turkey still requires overcoming very long and difficult bureaucratic processes. Sometimes there is a bureaucratic process that takes up to 1 year. This period needs to be shortened significantly, and the public needs to be made aware. As our previous Minister of Energy has stated many times, it should be as easy and fast for a citizen to put a solar panel on their roof as it is to install a satellite dish.''

''WE AIM TO MEET 10 PERCENT OF TURKEY'S ELECTRICITY FROM SOLAR POWER''

Uğurel said, ''3-4 years ago, 1 percent of the electricity consumed in Turkey was met by solar power plants. We have now reached figures like 5-6 percent. We aim to meet 10 percent of the electricity consumed in Turkey from solar power within two years with the right investments. To reach this goal, we need to take action on many different topics such as the widespread use of solar energy in residences, the establishment of solar power plants integrated with agriculture and animal husbandry, and the installation of floating SPPs within our reservoir hydroelectric power plants.”

''DEMAND FOR SOLAR ENERGY INCREASES AS ELECTRICITY PRICES RISE''

Mentioning the investments made in solar energy, Uğurel said, ''SPP investments were very good in the last 2 years. After the price hike on industrial electricity, there was an incredible demand for SPPs. In addition, access to finance was easier last year, and the cost of finance was much lower. As electricity prices rise, the demand for solar energy increases. Electric vehicles, which should preferably meet their energy needs from solar power, have also entered our lives. Solving the current financing problem and allocating capacities in a transparent and fair manner will revive the demand for investments, and determining electricity prices based on costs under free market conditions will also accelerate the transition to solar energy,” he said.

''DOMESTIC MANUFACTURERS MUST BE SUPPORTED IN ENERGY STORAGE''

Kontrolmatik Chairman of the Board Sami Aslanhan stated, “As Kontrolmatik Technology, with our lithium iron phosphate battery cell and energy storage systems factory, we produce energy storage products that will appeal to areas requiring high-power energy storage; such as power plants, city grids, factories, home applications, and high-power requiring work machines, marine vessels, and trains. In our factory in Polatlı, Ankara, we offer energy storage products in different capacities according to the product group as the first phase. We can say that we are currently the only company in Turkey that produces lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries at European quality and standards. There is a tax applied to battery raw materials that are not produced in Turkey. The lack of tax on finished product imports to Turkey in energy storage increases costs. With the regulation of measures protecting domestic manufacturers regarding surveillance practices in imports and taxes on imports in energy storage, our domestic industry will develop even further in energy storage,” he said.

''WE PLAN A 1 BILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN SOLAR ENERGY''

Rönesans Energy General Manager Gökhan Gökdoğan, one of the main sponsors of the congress, also talked about the investments they will make in solar energy. Gökdoğan said, ''Rönesans Energy owns 6 hydroelectric power plants with an installed capacity of 166 megawatts on the hydroelectric power plant side. Recently, with green transformation goals, we decided to invest in wind and solar as well. In 2023, Total Energies became a 50 percent partner in Rönesans Energy. With this cooperation, we plan to invest 2 billion dollars within 5 years. We aim to make 1 billion dollars of this investment in solar energy,” he said.

Making statements regarding storage facilities, YEO Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Dr. Alper Baykut said, ''We cannot make solar and wind investments without storage due to legislation. Even if there were no legislation, the only way to make renewable energy uninterrupted is to store this energy. There are different methods of energy storage. Today, there are battery storages as an accepted solution. Solar and wind energy investments must go hand in hand with battery investments. This situation is a burden that increases costs for the investor. The solution to this could be financial support and credit support,” he expressed.