The devastating impacts of the climate crisis are the greatest threat to our planet. We need to reduce our carbon emissions to counter this threat drastically. Given that energy is one of the highest costs of industrial facilities, renewable energy sources are crucial for reducing carbon emissions. Energy efficiency and production can be improved, and environmental impacts can be reduced using renewable energy sources in the industry. Let's look at these resources, why they are essential, and the positive effects of renewable energy applications in industry.
What are renewable energy sources?
Renewable energy is the energy obtained from natural resources that are renewed at a higher rate than consumed. Let's take a closer look at those limitless resources in nature.
Solar energy: Solar radiation generates electricity through solar panels and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
Wind energy: The movement of air generates kinetic energy. That energy is transformed into electricity via wind turbines.
Geothermal energy: This energy is generated by the earth and its natural heat. The underground heat is used for heating and electricity.
Hydroelectric energy: The energy from water in motion is converted to electricity.
Biomass energy: Biomass, a renewable organic substance derived from plants and animals, is used to produce heat and electricity.
Hydrogen energy: It is derived from hydrogen gas, the most abundant element on our planet.
Wave energy: It is the electric energy obtained by the waves of the sea and the ocean.
Tidal energy: This is produced by tidal currents that occur in the seas and oceans due to the gravity force exerted by the Sun and Moon on Earth.
Why is renewable energy so important?
Renewable energy sources can make the world a better place to live. These unlimited resources of nature contribute to the protection of the environment by reducing carbon emissions, less dependence on foreign energy, and increase in employment. This is why governments support using renewable energy sources in the industry. The fact that the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Fatih Dönmez, emphasized that the installed power based on renewable resources has reached 54 percent in Türkiye and that he declared that \"The annual capacity of solar panel production in Türkiye is 7 gigawatts, we are in the fourth place in the world\" also supports this.
Renewable energy in the industry

Energy is one of the major costs in the industry. Energy efficiency is enhanced when it is achieved through renewable sources, and savings are made. Technologies such as wind turbines, solar panels, cogeneration systems, carbon capture, waste heat recovery, and heat pumps can be used in industry to prevent energy losses and leakages and prevent unnecessary energy use. These technologies, which contribute to the industry and the national economy, are considered by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources as an Efficiency Enhancing Project (VAP).

According to the Renewable Energy Market 2021 Report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA), power generation capacity from solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable technologies will increase rapidly in the coming years. According to the report, global renewable electricity capacity is projected to reach more than 4,800 GW by 2026, more than 60% of its 2020 level. According to the IEA's latest Renewable Energy Market Update Report 2022, the world has overcome supply chain disruptions and high raw material prices and added 295 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity in 2021, breaking a record. According to the report, global capacity additions are expected to rise to 320 gigawatts this year. It is predicted that 60 percent of this year's capacity will come from solar energy and 40 percent from wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources.

SOCAR Türkiye's renewable energy investmentsAs an energy company that supports sustainable development, we aim to reduce energy consumption and meet our energy needs from renewable energy sources as much as possible. In this sense, our most important investment in this area is Petkim RES, a wind power plant with 17 turbines. Petkim RES has a wind power plant with an installed capacity of 51 MW and a production license of 38 MW to support the power systems in SOCAR Türkiye Aliağa Private Industrial Zone and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from production by obtaining its electricity from renewable sources. 598,182 GJ of energy was produced at PETKİM WPP in 2021.

In addition, we aim to use green energy at a total of 22 consumption points, including 4 administration buildings, 10 stations, 2 warehouses and storage facilities, 3 emergency response unit offices, 2 valve groups, and 1 archive building belonging to our headquarters and subsidiaries in Vadi Istanbul.

Our subsidiary SOCAR Enerji Ticaret has started selling green energy certificates produced from renewable energy sources and certified with the International Renewable Energy Certificate (I-REC) to reduce and neutralize the carbon footprints of end consumers. SOCAR Enerji Ticaret, which sells \"green energy\" to 10% of our current electricity end-consumer portfolio, 231 million kilowatt-hours in 2021, will also start to provide brokerage services for solar energy system installations in 2022.

In summary, it is possible to reduce carbon emissions using renewable energy in the industry, thus preventing the harmful effects of the climate crisis, encouraging the efficient use of energy, and contributing to the country's economy.