Bioenergy in Turkey

Bioenergy forms a small part of the Turkish energy sector. There is unrealised potential to generate bioenergy using waste from the country's vast agricultural sector and forest resources. The possibility of expanding biogas, biofuel and bioethanol production and use has been suggested to supplement Turkey's energy needs, reduce dependency on fossil fuel imports and cut greenhouse gas emissions. == Overview == Turkey is highly dependent on fossil fuels for its energy needs, contributing to increasing greenhouse gas emissions and raising concerns over energy security.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Rincon |first1=Luis |last2=Puri |first2=Manas |last3=Kojakovic |first3=Ana |last4=Maltsoglou |first4=Irini |date=2019-07-01 |title=The contribution of sustainable bioenergy to renewable electricity generation in Turkey: Evidence based policy from an integrated energy and agriculture approach |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421519301880 |journal=Energy Policy |volume=130 |pages=69–88 |doi=10.1016/j.enpol.2019.03.024 |bibcode=2019EnPol.130...69R |s2cid=159150912 |issn=0301-4215|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Since 1980, Turkey has considered using biomass for energy and heating, and in the 2010s included a biomass component in its target of achieving 20% renewable energy by 2023.<ref name=":2" /> The economic biomass potential of Turkey is 32 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe)/year.<ref name=":13">{{Cite journal |last=Erdogdu |first=Erkan |date=2008-06-01 |title=An exposé of bioenergy and its potential and utilization in Turkey |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421508001134 |journal=Energy Policy |language=en |volume=36 |issue=6 |pages=2182–2190 |doi=10.1016/j.enpol.2008.02.041 |bibcode=2008EnPol..36.2182E |issn=0301-4215|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Total biomass production is estimated to reach 52.5 Mtoe by 2030.<ref name=":26">{{Cite journal |last1=Ozturk |first1=Munir |last2=Saba |first2=Naheed |last3=Altay |first3=Volkan |last4=Iqbal |first4=Rizwan |last5=Hakeem |first5=Khalid Rehman |last6=Jawaid |first6=Mohammad |last7=Ibrahim |first7=Faridah Hanum |date=2017-11-01 |title=Biomass and bioenergy: An overview of the development potential in Turkey and Malaysia |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032117307323 |journal=Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews |language=en |volume=79 |pages=1285–1302 |doi=10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.111 |bibcode=2017RSERv..79.1285O |issn=1364-0321 |s2cid=114342109|url-access=subscription }}</ref> An estimated 6.5 million homes in Turkey use biomass as their main source of heating fuel.<ref name=":26" />

Waste from the country's vast agricultural sector has potential as a source of heat and energy,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2016 |title=BEFS Assessment for Turkey: Sustainable bioenergy options from crop and livestock residues |url=https://www.fao.org/3/i6480e/i6480e.pdf |access-date=18 January 2024 |website=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 August 2021 |title=From waste to energy: Turkey looks to biomass to achieve 'green growth' |url=https://www.unido.org/stories/waste-energy-turkey-looks-biomass-achieve-green-growth |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=UNIDO |language=en}}</ref> and could reduce dependency on foreign fuel imports.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Ocak |first1=Semra |last2=Acar |first2=Sevil |date=2021-12-01 |title=Biofuels from wastes in Marmara Region, Turkey: potentials and constraints |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15464-3 |journal=Environmental Science and Pollution Research |language=en |volume=28 |issue=46 |pages=66026–66042 |doi=10.1007/s11356-021-15464-3 |pmid=34324148 |bibcode=2021ESPR...2866026O |s2cid=236478622 |issn=1614-7499|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Bio-waste from Marmara Region has potential to generate almost half its energy needs.<ref name=":0" /> The country's rich forest resources have also been proposed as a source of renewable bioenergy.<ref>{{Citation |last=Sarıkoç |first=Selçuk |title=Bioenergy Potential of Turkey's Forest Sources, Biomass Energy Conversion Methods, Products, and Applications |date=2020-07-08 |url=https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/72631 |work=Renewable Energy - Technologies and Applications |access-date=2024-01-18 |publisher=IntechOpen |language=en |isbn=978-1-83881-001-6}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=February 2025|reason=Headbomb script highlights it}}Forest residues (wood chips and pellets) from industrial activities are also a potential source of biomass - their use in energy generation could reduce Turkeys' greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5% and save $0.5 billion annually by reducing the need for fossil fuel imports.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Balcioglu |first1=Gulizar |last2=Jeswani |first2=Harish K. |last3=Azapagic |first3=Adisa |date=2023-05-20 |title=Energy from forest residues in Turkey: An environmental and economic life cycle assessment of different technologies|journal=Science of the Total Environment |volume=874 |article-number=162316 |doi=10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162316 |issn=0048-9697|doi-access=free |pmid=36813199 |bibcode=2023ScTEn.87462316B }}</ref> Sources of biomass energy include grain dust, wheat straw, and hazelnut shell.<ref name=":13" /> {{Better source needed|reason=old|date=March 2023}} Biomass as an energy source is advantageous due to its ability to be readily available all year round.<ref name=":26" />{{Request quotation|date=March 2023}}

Tupraş intends to make sustainable aviation fuel. The Shura Energy Transition Centre in Istanbul suggests that Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage can remove residual greenhouse gas emissions after net zero in 2053.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Net Zero 2053: A Roadmap for the Turkish Electricity Sector |url=https://shura.org.tr/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SHURA-2023-02-Rapor-NetZero-2053_Executive_-Summary.pdf}}</ref>

There are drawbacks to using biomass as energy in Turkey. These include but are not limited to: availability (seasonally and geographically), production (based on climate conditions), and cost of transportation. Overall, the cost of biomass waste varies depending on Turkey's economic status and crop production.<ref name=":26" /> {{As of|2022}} there are no reliable production or export statistics.<ref>{{Cite web |date=9 December 2022 |title=Concern grows that increased Turkish biomass exports originate from Russia |url=https://www.bioenergy-news.com/news/concern-grows-that-increased-turkish-biomass-exports-originate-from-russia/ |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=Bioenergy Insight Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Biogas== [[File:Iğdır inekleri 4.jpg|thumb|Manure from animal agriculture in Turkey has potential to generate significant biogas for energy.]] There is significant biogas generation potential in Turkey.<ref name="TGBP">{{cite web |title=Assessment of actual framework conditions and potentials for Biogas investments in Turkey |url=http://biyogaz.web.tr/files/docs/dbfz_biogas-potential_analysis_turkey.pdf |publisher=Turkish-German biogas project |access-date=2014-10-30 |archive-date=2014-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031022244/http://biyogaz.web.tr/files/docs/dbfz_biogas-potential_analysis_turkey.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> More than eighty five million tons of animal waste is produced annually in Turkey. This could be used to produce over 1.8 million tons of oil equivalent (toe). With plant waste included the potential raises to over 5.3 million tons of oil equivalent (toe).<ref>{{cite web |title=Biogas Energy In Turkey |url=http://www.mondaq.com/x/312640/Renewables/Biogas+Energy+In+Turkey}}</ref> A 2022 study estimated the country's biogas potential at 7 billion m<sup>3</sup> per year.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Aksay |first1=Mehmet Volkan |last2=Tabak |first2=Abdulsamed |date=2022-11-01 |title=Mapping of biogas potential of animal and agricultural wastes in Turkey |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-022-02538-6 |journal=Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery |language=en |volume=12 |issue=11 |pages=5345–5362 |doi=10.1007/s13399-022-02538-6 |bibcode=2022BioCB..12.5345A |s2cid=247503461 |issn=2190-6823|url-access=subscription }}</ref> However, only 85 biogas facilities with 36 plants are currently{{When|date=January 2024}} in operation in Turkey.<ref name="TGBP" /> Eastern and Central Anatolia have the greatest potential for electricity generation from animal waste.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Caliskan |first1=Meltem |last2=Tumen Ozdil |first2=Naime Filiz |date=2021-09-01 |title=Potential of Biogas and Electricity Production from Animal Waste in Turkey |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12155-020-10193-w |journal=BioEnergy Research |language=en |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=860–869 |doi=10.1007/s12155-020-10193-w |bibcode=2021BioER..14..860C |s2cid=225007329 |issn=1939-1242|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The world's largest landfill gas power plant began operating in 2020 in Istanbul.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-17 |title=Istanbul completes first phase of world's biggest landfill gas power plant |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/istanbul-completes-first-phase-of-worlds-biggest-landfill-gas-power-plant/ |access-date=2020-11-14 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Biofuel== One percent of fuel requirements in Turkey are produced by biofuels, with an estimated increase of seven percent in 2023.<ref name="sciencedirect.com">{{Cite journal |last1=Acaroğlu |first1=Mustafa |last2=Aydoğan |first2=Hasan |date=2012-01-01 |title=Biofuels energy sources and future of biofuels energy in Turkey |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0961953411005125 |journal=Biomass and Bioenergy |language=en |volume=36 |pages=69–76 |doi=10.1016/j.biombioe.2011.10.004 |bibcode=2012BmBe...36...69A |issn=0961-9534|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Biojet production is hoped to be certified in 2022.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |date=7 January 2022 |title=Türkiye'de biyokütle santralleri 2021'deki elektrik üretiminin yüzde 2,3'ünü karşıladı |trans-title=Biomass power plants in Turkey met 2.3 percent of electricity production in 2021 |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/turkiyede-biyokutle-santralleri-2021deki-elektrik-uretiminin-yuzde-2-3unu-karsiladi/2467778 |access-date= |website=Anadolu Agency |language=tr}}</ref> A biodiesel plant is planned.<ref>{{cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://www.avesenerji.com/wp-content/uploads/katalog-en.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101221121/http://www.avesenerji.com/wp-content/uploads/katalog-en.pdf |archive-date=2014-11-01 |access-date=2014-11-01}}</ref>{{Needs update|date=January 2024}} The European Union and Ministry of Industry and Technology funded the establishment of a biorefinery in Istanbul, which converts processes algae biomass into biofuel and other products.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-07 |title=New €6 million project in Istanbul is turning algae into bio-jet fuel |url=https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/03/07/a-radical-carbon-negative-project-in-turkey-is-turning-algae-into-bio-jet-fuel |access-date=2024-01-18 |website=euronews |language=en}}</ref>

==Bioethanol== [[File:Pancar .jpg|thumb|Sugar beets are the main source of bioethanol production in Turkey.]] In 2011, Turkish Energy Regulatory Agency (EMRA) mandated biofuel blending for bioethanol (2%) and biodiesel (1%).<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Boluk |first1=Gulden |last2=Koc |first2=A. Ali |date=2013 |title=The Implications of Biofuel Policy in Turkey |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1439843299 |journal=International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy |language=English |location=Mersin |volume=3 |pages=n/a |id={{ProQuest|1439843299}}}}</ref> Approximately 1.5 million tons of biodiesel and 3 million tons of bioethanol are produced in Turkey.<ref name=":26" /> Sugar beets are the main source of bioethanol production in Turkey, followed by corn and wheat, with a yearly production of 15, 4.3 and 20 tons per year, respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefarmsite.com/reports/contents/TurkeySugar9May2014.pdf|title=Archived copy|access-date=2014-11-01|archive-date=2022-11-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130155320/http://www.thefarmsite.com/reports/contents/TurkeySugar9May2014.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="sciencedirect.com" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is old|date=March 2023}}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9ItB0jOo_Q Bioenergy: Turkey's burning potential] {{World topic|Bioenergy in|title=Bioenergy by country|noredlinks=yes}}{{World topic|Biofuel in|title=Biofuels by country|noredlinks=yes}}{{Bioenergy}} Category:Energy in Turkey Category:Bioenergy