ENERGY NEWS - TURKEY
Turkey's Drillship Fatih to Set Sail for New Location in Black Sea Soon

Turkey’s Fatih drillship will set sail to a fresh location in the Black Sea's Sakarya gas field to start new explorations in early November, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said Tuesday.

The vessel earlier discovered 405 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas at the Tuna-1 location in the Sakarya gas field, located about 100 nautical miles north of the Turkish coast. It will kick-start its new activities in the Turkali-1 borehole in the same site.

The drillship is currently anchored off the coastal town of Filyos for maintenance and technical works, which are ending, the minister said.

Donmez reiterated that the natural gas produced from the Sakarya gas field will begin entering the economy in 2023.

Turkey’s hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, along with increasing natural gas storage capacity, aims to reduce the country’s outside dependency on energy while securing and diversifying supply channels.

The Turkali-1 borehole drilling and tests there are expected to provide additional information about the existing reserves and production potential. The work on the borehole is also said to allow for a better understanding of the gas potential of the field.

Fatih’s drilling of the first designated well is also expected to play an important role in clarifying the technical characteristics of the site.

A total of 40 production wells will be drilled within the scope of Turkey’s Black Sea activities.

The energy minister was speaking during an event by Turkey's Petroleum Pipeline Company (BOTAS) in central Turkey’s Aksaray province, home to the famous Lake Tuz.

Donmez said that when the Lake Tuz Underground Natural Gas Storage Expansion Project is completed, Turkey will reach a natural gas storage capacity of 5.4 bcm. The groundbreaking ceremony for the storage expansion facility, which is of critical importance in terms of Turkey's energy supply and security, was held in July 2019.

The Lake Tuz Underground Gas Storage Facility was officially opened on Feb. 10, 2017, by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Donmez also touched on the environmental contributions of BOTAS' works, saying: "With the project, we are exhibiting one of the best examples of protecting the environment.”

Lake Tuz is home to many bird species, especially flamingos.

“Before this project started, the number of flamingos had dropped to almost 3,000. Now the number of flamingos reached 25,000,” the minister said, thanking BOTAS general management and all contributors for the environmental protection projects in the area.

Source: Daily Sabah

"You Are My Energy" Entrepreneurship Competition from ELDER

300 Thousand Turkish Lira Support from ELDER for Future Energy Ideas

Under the coordination of EMRA, initiated in cooperation with ELDER and ODTU TEKNOKENT, by the "You Are My Energy Acceleration Program" early stage innovative business ideas will be supported in the energy sector.  At the end of the program, successful initiatives will be awarded 300 thousand Turkish Liras by ELDER. Prizes to be given by other institutions will be announced at a later date.

Under the coordination of the Energy Markets Regulatory Authority (EMRA), Electricity Distribution Services Association - ELDER and ODTU TEKNOKENT launched a project that will support innovative business ideas in the electricity distribution sector.  With the You Are My Energy Acceleration Program, entrepreneurs and entrepreneur candidates or startups will have the opportunity to introduce their early-stage innovative business ideas to the electricity distribution industry. Within the scope of You Are My Energy Acceleration Program, face-to-face meetings will also be held where selected initiatives and mentors come together with potential entrepreneurs.  If mutually agreed upon after the process is completed, various advantages and supports such as initial customer guarantee, national and international project writing support, patent support, participation in global fairs, events and acceleration programs, investment opportunity and support will be offered.

At the end of the program, successful initiatives will be awarded 300 thousand Turkish Lira by ELDER, and innovative business ideas and R&D projects will be supported. Prizes to be given by other institutions will be announced at a later date.  Applications for the program can be made via the link shared from ELDER and ODTU TEKNOKENT's social media accounts until Sunday, December 20, 2020.

Cecen: "Our Priority is Using National Systems in Energy Infrastructures"

Serhat Cecen, Chairman of the Board of ELDER, said that in line with the mission of ELDER to adapt to the changes in the sector in the fastest way and to be the pioneer of innovation in the energy sector, they have implemented the "You Are My Energy Acceleration Program".

He stated that, “We want to meet the rapidly changing needs of the energy sector in the world and Turkey. In this context, we think that initiatives that generate ideas will gain importance.

We do collaborate with various institutions to support initiatives in Turkey and its neighbors.

We believe that the entrepreneurship ecosystem created with ODTU TEKNOKENT will contribute to the energy sector and to the production of R&D projects that can have a say in the future of the sector. In this direction, as the electricity distribution sector, we will support early stage innovative ideas, and develop and project them. We will vigorously continue to make these supports permanent.

Alemdar: "We Aim for Supports to Be Sustainable"

Serdar R. Alemdar, General Manager of ODTU TEKNOKENT emphasized that global problems such as climate change and air pollution are at the solution center of the energy sector, and that clean and sustainable energy transformations already implemented in many countries and industries are accelerating in order to solve these problems.

He stated that, considering the increases in renewable technologies and developments in clean energy technologies, as ODTU TEKNOKENT, which has created technologies that shape the future, we continue to work with our companies to contribute to the energy sector and the future of the industry.

ENERGY NEWS - WORLD
Global Transformation of the Electricity Sector Requires Greater Efforts to Ensure Security of Supply

The electricity sector, which plays a large and growing role in energy systems around the world, is undergoing its most dramatic transformation since its creation more than a century ago. The importance of electricity is only set to increase in the years ahead, calling for a more comprehensive approach to electricity security to meet evolving challenges such as cyber threats, extreme weather events and rapidly growing shares of variable electricity generation from wind and solar power, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.

The report, Power Systems in Transition, is the first major global study to examine in depth these three key areas for the future of electricity security at the same time and offer recommendations for addressing them in a way that supports the acceleration of clean energy transitions globally.

“Energy security is at the heart of the IEA’s mission because it is critical for social wellbeing, economic prosperity and successful clean energy transitions. We are dedicated to helping countries around the world ensure that all their citizens have access to clean, reliable and affordable energy,” said Dr. Fatih Birol, the IEA Executive Director. “Electricity is essential for the functioning of modern societies – as the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted – and for bringing down global emissions. This is why we are continuing to expand and deepen our work on electricity security.”

The report is being launched today at the 2nd Global Ministerial Conference on System Integration of Renewables, which is co-hosted by the IEA and the Singapore government. The event will bring together Ministers, industry CEOs and thought leaders from around the world for discussions on the theme of “Investment, Integration and Resilience: A Secure, Clean Energy Future.”

Electricity accounts for one-fifth of global energy consumption today, and its share is rising. It is set to play a bigger role in heating, cooling and transport as well as many digitally integrated sectors such as communication, finance and healthcare. In pathways towards meeting international energy and climate goals, such as the IEA Sustainable Development Scenario, the trend will accelerate. In that scenario, electricity could surpass oil as the world’s largest energy source by 2040. Wind and solar’s share of global electricity generation would rise from 7% to 45%, with all renewables combined generating more than 70% of the total.

Many countries today enjoy a high level of electricity security thanks to centrally controlled systems, relatively simple supply chains, and power plants that can supply electricity whenever needed. But recent technology and policy developments are now radically changing the sector and with it, the electricity security model that has prevailed for the past century. These developments include steep declines in the costs of variable renewables, the trends of decentralisation and digitalisation, and the impacts of climate change.

The challenge for governments and utilities is to update policies, regulations and market designs to ensure that power systems remain secure throughout clean energy transitions. The new IEA report maps out key steps for achieving this. An essential goal is to make systems more flexible so they can smoothly accommodate the variable electricity production from wind and solar.

This includes making the best use of the flexibility on offer from existing power plants that can generate electricity when required, as well as increasing investments in grids and other sources of flexibility such as demand-side technologies and storage resources. However, global investment in these areas is declining, a trend that has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis. An increase in investments should be facilitated by better-designed markets that reward power system resources that deliver flexibility and capacity.

The growing digitalisation of electricity systems, the rise of smart grids and the shift to a wider distribution of generation resources offers many opportunities and benefits. But with cyber threats already substantial and growing, it is imperative to strengthen cyber resilience measures and make them a central part of the planning and operation of power systems. Governments can achieve this through a wide range of policy and regulatory approaches – from highly prescriptive ones to framework-oriented, performance-based ones.

The effects of climate change mean that electricity systems need to become more resilient to the impacts of changing weather patterns, rising sea levels and more extreme weather events. This can be accomplished by giving a high priority to climate resilience in electricity security policies and establishing better standards to guide the necessary investments. Enhancing the resilience of electricity systems to climate change also brings multiple benefits.

The new IEA report identifies best practices and lessons learned from around the globe. It also provides a set of recommendations for institutional frameworks that establish clear responsibilities, incentives and rules; measures to identify, manage and mitigate risks; and protocols to monitor progress, respond and recover, including through emergency response exercises.

“The IEA is the world’s energy authority where governments and industry leaders can share experiences and expertise to help move the world towards a more secure and sustainable energy future,” said Dr Birol. “This report is the reference manual for policy-making on electricity security now and for years to come.”

The IEA’s expanding work on energy security challenges will next year include a special report providing a forward-looking assessment of the global supply of critical minerals for clean energy technologies.

Source: Modern Diplomacy

European Energy Companies Launch Major Carbon Capture Projects off UK Coast

After decades spent extracting fossil fuels from the UK’s North Sea, a consortium of oil companies is preparing to pump Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions back beneath the seabed to help meet the government’s climate ambitions. EURACTIV’s media partner partner, The Guardian, reports.

BP has set out plans to lead an alliance of energy companies in siphoning off the carbon dioxide from factory flues under new plans in which almost half the UK’s industrial emissions will be stored beneath the North Sea from 2026.

The veteran North Sea oil extractor is leading a partnership including Italy’s state oil company Eni, Norway’s Equinor, National Grid, Royal Dutch Shell and French energy company Total in a plan to transport 17 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year from two separate carbon capture projects based in the Teesside and Humber industrial clusters on England’s east coast.

At Teesside, BP will work with the same oil companies, in a separate venture, to capture up to 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year from the industrial cluster – equivalent to the same emissions produced from the energy used by 3 million UK homes – from the mid-2020s. Meanwhile, at the Humber, a separate alliance including National Grid, Equinor and power generator Drax, hopes to capture at least 17 million tonnes of CO2 from hundreds of refineries and factories.

The new alliance will operate the pipes and storage facility needed to transport the emissions from both industrial zones and dispose of almost 50% of the UK’s industrial emissions in salt caverns beneath the North Sea seabed.

Andy Lane, BP’s head of carbon capture solutions, said the project represents a “significant milestone” towards developing the offshore infrastructure needed to safely store carbon, and the oil industry’s “willingness to come together and collaborate wherever possible” to contribute to the UK’s climate goals.

Carbon capture and storage is considered vital to the UK’s legally binding target to create a carbon neutral economy by 2050. It would also be “virtually impossible” for the world to meet its climate targets without it, according to the International Energy Agency.

There are still only 20 projects in commercial use worldwide but the agency believes that, in the last three years, plans for more than 30 commercial carbon capture facilities have come forward, representing a potential investment of about $27bn (£20.7bn).

The UK government has promised £800 million to decarbonise at least two heavy-industry “carbon clusters”, the first in 2025 and the second by 2030, falling short of calls from MPs and the government’s official independent climate advisers at the committee on climate change to roll out multiple carbon capture projects within the next five years.

The Northern Endurance Alliance has applied for funding from the government’s £170 million industrial decarbonisation challenge which was set up this time last year. The support is part of the government’s £4.7 billion industrial strategy challenge fund which was set up by the government to address the biggest barriers to the UK’s future productivity and earning power.

Source: EURACTIV

Solar Installs to Reach 115GWdc in 2020 as Robust Recovery Continues: WoodMac

Total solar installations are to hit 115GWdc this year as the sector continues to record a robust recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, analysis by Wood Mackenzie claims. In its latest quarterly market outlook, WoodMac forecasts that total solar installs will increase by 5% year-on-year to reach 115GWdc, driven primarily by a surge in activity within the Chinese market in the second half of the year.

WoodMac forecasts that 39GWdc of solar is expected to be installed in China throughout 2020, an increase of 30% year-on-year, with more than two-thirds of that (27GWdc) installed in the second half of the year.

Such a figure is broadly in line with other projections of the Chinese market for 2020 – IHS analysts revised their 2020 projections downwards from 45GW to 40-41GW, while the China Photovoltaic Industry Association’s neutral estimate forecasts 40GW to be installed – and comes despite short-term supply chain disruption and module pricing turbulence affecting some developers.

Germany, too, looks set to record its best year for solar installs in eight years, with installations set to reach 4.5GW for the year, aided by the removal of a 52GW cap on feed-in tariff accreditations for new solar installs.

The same cannot, however, be said in India, which continues to witness disruption caused by the pandemic. Wood Mac expects India to see a 42% slide in solar installs – coming in at just 4.9GW – despite the Indian government’s best intentions to help stimulate further deployment. Without additional policy enforcement, WoodMac has said India’s target of having a 100GW solar generation capacity by 2022 is unlikely to be met.

And solar installations look certain to continue grow in the years ahead, setting new records in nearly every consecutive year out to 2025. The one exception will be in 2024, when the end of the investment tax credit in the US will dampen market appetite. By 2025, as much as 145GW of solar is expected to be installed every year.

WoodMac’s future projections come after the International Energy Agency hailed solar as the “new king” of electricity generation, and claimed more solar would be installed in each year between 2022 and 2040, becoming the pre-eminent source of power generation in numerous markets and continents.

Source: pv-tech

New Report Shows ‘Explosive Growth’ of Renewable Energy Technologies Across US

In 2019, the US produced 30 times more solar power and more than triple the amount of wind energy than it did in 2010. In addition to the growth in renewable energy, utility scale battery storage increased 20-fold since 2010, energy consumption per person declined thanks to improvements in energy efficiency, and more than one million electric vehicles were sold in the US. That’s according to a new report published by Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center.

The report, “Renewables on the Rise 2020,” also showed that, in 2018, energy efficiency programs across the US saved more than one and a half times as much electricity as they did in 2010. Further, there were nearly 330,000 electric vehicles sold in the US in 2019, up from virtually none just a decade earlier.

America has massive reserves of renewable energy from the wind and the sun. And according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the US has the technical potential to meet its current electricity needs more than 75 times over with solar energy and more than 10 times over with wind energy.

Source: Environmental Leader

REPORT OF THE WEEK

National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2019 Progress Report

In 2019, a total of $1,18 billion was invested in energy efficiency in Turkey, thereby achieving 858 ktoe of primary energy savings, valued at $300 million. The realization of the Action Plan for 2019 was calculated to be 102%.

Please click here to read the full report.

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