Need to Increase the Use of Renewable Energy Sources

Experts note that increased use of renewable energy sources in industry will both improve facility efficiency and contribute to environmental protection efforts. According to data from the "Turkey Energy Transition Outlook" report prepared by SHURA Energy Transformation Center and the "Energy Outlook" report by Turkey Industrial Development Bank, final energy consumption in 2021 reached 123.9 million tons of oil equivalent. Of this, 34% was consumed in the industrial sector, 31% in buildings, 25% in transport, 4% in agriculture and livestock, and 6% in other areas. Final energy consumption in the industrial sector showed a 39% increase during the 2012-2021 period, demonstrating the importance of energy efficiency efforts for the sector. Assoc. Prof. Şaban Pusat, Director of Yıldız Teknik Üniversitesi Energy Application and Research Center and Faculty Member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, defined energy efficiency in industry as the reduction of energy consumed per unit of product without any decrease in production quality and quantity.

Pusat continued as follows:

"Factories generate electricity from wind and solar energy on their rooftops or on suitable land, producing part or all or even more of the electricity they consume at that location, thus operating their facilities. As a result, the electricity drawn from the grid decreases. Under normal circumstances, this means that a fossil fuel-fired power plant supplying electricity to the grid operates less. Therefore, as a result of increasing the use of renewable energy sources, which is part of energy efficiency work, while the efficiency of industrial facilities increases, opportunities are created to do beneficial work for the environment."

"Selecting the right equipment is of great importance"

Noting that errors in industrial processes and equipment selection negatively affect energy efficiency, Pusat emphasized that it is necessary to follow technology and design processes accordingly in order to reduce both costs and environmental burdens.

Assoc. Prof. Pusat continued:

"Taking the example of a furnace, in an industrial furnace, flue gas temperatures can reach up to 1000 degrees Celsius. We normally release these gases to the atmosphere. If we undertake work to recover this energy, for example by using a heat exchanger to transfer the energy in the flue gas to another fluid, the furnace efficiency will increase. On the other hand, by using waste energy as a substitute for another source, we will prevent fuel consumption or reduce the amount of fuel used. This way, harmful emissions released to the environment will be reduced." Pusat predicted that in the near future, to increase energy efficiency in industry, there will be increased use of both green hydrogen from clean energy sources and heat pumps, which extract natural heat from air, water or soil and make it usable for heating and cooling processes.

"Keeping gases within limits will provide energy efficiency and protect the environment"

Assoc. Prof. Aysel Ersoy, Faculty Member of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Engineering, stated that the use of energy-efficient equipment in all processes from production to final product in industry and the limitation of gases causing climate change are important for preventing environmental pollution. Ersoy said, "Although we all blame carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, there is also a gas like sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) that is released, and SF6 is also shown today as one of the causes of the climate crisis. This gas is frequently used in the sector in switches, transformers and equipment. Today it appears as a limited device with trace elements. There are also certain chemicals used in the textile sector. There are also gases generated during the adhesive application process in the furniture sector. By keeping such gases within limits, both energy efficiency will be provided and the environment will be protected." he explained. Noting that similar to the world, most energy in Turkey is consumed in the industrial sector; iron and steel, cement, petrochemicals and sugar industry, Ersoy stated that Turkey, which spends more energy per unit of product, lags behind developed countries in this regard. Sharing the information that the steel sector is responsible for approximately 7% of Turkey's energy consumption and approximately 22.5% of energy consumption in industry, Ersoy said that it is possible to reduce these ratios through the use of energy-efficient smart equipment in the sector, process management and trainings to be provided in the sector.

"The most efficient energy is the energy we don't use"

Saying that 40% of Turkey's energy comes from fossil fuels and this has negative effects on both the environment and human health, Ersoy commented, "In any case, we need to return to our own resources. Perhaps diversifying renewable energy sources a bit more will benefit all of us in terms of public health." Noting that Turkey is located in a position that receives a lot of sunlight and that the spread of photovoltaic systems that enable electricity generation from the sun is important in terms of energy efficiency, Ersoy concluded his remarks as follows: "The most efficient energy is the energy we don't use. Our only expectation from the industrial sector is to ensure energy efficiency at every stage from production processes to final product. Energy efficiency does not only mean a reduction in electricity or natural gas bills. It also means a cleaner environment for all of us, cleaner nature and the protection of the ecosystem." Source