Electricity consumption of ATMs in Turkey exceeds that of Ardahan, Bayburt, Iğdır, and Tunceli

According to the statement by the Ekosfer Association, the 52,682 ATMs across the country consume an average of 12 kilowatt-hours of electricity per day, with their total annual consumption exceeding 230 million kilowatt-hours.

This consumption amount surpasses the annual consumption of Ardahan, Bayburt, Iğdır, and Tunceli, and is equivalent to 1/40th of the consumption of Antalya, one of Turkey's highest electricity-consuming cities.

Continuing its efforts to implement policies necessary to halt the climate crisis, the association emphasizes through its research that transitioning to a shared and commission-free ATM system could provide significant electricity and resource savings, while also preventing visual pollution on streets and in squares.

Ekosfer Association Campaigns Director Özgür Gürbüz pointed out that switching to shared ATMs that do not charge commissions to users would lead to significant electricity savings, stating, "The issue is not just electricity consumption. Almost all of these devices are imported; each ATM contains many parts that require maintenance and repair, such as alarms, air conditioning, power supplies, screens, and printers. The need for regular visits to add and withdraw cash leads to fuel waste. In this study, we only calculated how much electricity the machines consume. Their impact on the environment and the economy is not limited to the electricity bill alone."

Gürbüz noted that the number of ATMs is decreasing in countries where shared ATMs, mobile banking, and credit cards are widespread, adding, "In the United Kingdom, the number of ATMs fell from 70,000 to under 50,000 in 8 years. To make more efficient use of the more than 2 million POS machines in Turkey, if those who pay by card after shopping, especially in large supermarkets, were given the chance to withdraw a limited amount of cash and add it to their card transaction, the need for ATMs would decrease even further. We could use the space allocated for ATMs for the benefit of society or plant trees. By halving the number of ATMs, we could save 115 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. Through energy conservation, we can protect the climate and reduce our dependence on imported products and foreign sources."

News Source: AA