ANKARA — The share of renewable energy in power generation across Turkey’s Organized Industrial Zones (OSBs) continues to grow, according to the Chairman of the Organized Industrial Zones Supreme Organization (OSBÜK), Memiş Kütükcü.
Speaking at the “19th Efficient Meetings: Energy Efficiency in Industry – Potential Opportunities Conference,” organized jointly by the Energy Efficiency Association and OSBÜK under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Kütükcü stated that 60% of the total 4,800-megawatt power generation capacity in OSBs comes from renewable energy plants.
Kütükcü noted that Turkey now has 416 OSBs, with no province left without one, and said that these zones house 68,000 factories, which together account for 45% of Turkey’s total industrial production.
“We provide direct employment to 2.7 million people. These figures are the most concrete indicators of Turkey’s production power and planned industrial vision,” Kütükcü said. “In the first 100 years of our Republic, we built an impressive industrial infrastructure. To sustain it, we must make our enterprises more energy efficient.”
Kütükcü pointed out that energy costs account for 25% to 40% of total production expenses for manufacturers operating within OSBs, emphasizing that energy remains one of the biggest cost components in industry.
“The more we can reduce this ratio, the stronger our national economy will become,” he said. “We must produce the same or more with less energy. Over the last 20 years, Turkish industry has undergone a major transformation. Today, 60% of the 4,800 MW of power generation capacity in OSBs comes from renewable sources. Every unit of energy saved is an investment in our country’s prosperity, our industry’s profitability, and our shared future.”
Kütükcü also shared information about a technical support project carried out with the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Energy Efficiency Association. The project focuses on heating and cooling capacities in enterprises.
Under this EU-funded initiative led by the Ministry, energy audits for heating and cooling will be conducted across six climate regions in Turkey.
“With the data collected and reported from these audits, Turkey’s potential for energy efficiency in heating and cooling will be identified,” Kütükcü explained. “Within the scope of this project, which includes both industrial and residential areas, studies have been completed in three factories located in our ASO 2 and 3 OSBs.”
“Energy Efficiency Is the Key to Competitiveness”
Bilal Düzgün, Acting Head of the Energy Efficiency and Environment Department at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, emphasized that energy efficiency in industry is no longer just an environmental responsibility, but a strategic factor directly determining competitiveness.
“The way to manage something is to measure it,” Düzgün said. “Energy efficiency is the key to competitiveness for industrialists. You cannot manage what you do not measure. If we want to reduce carbon intensity and increase energy efficiency, we must first diagnose the current situation.”
Düzgün also noted that the Ministry has restructured its incentive system for energy efficiency:
“Previously, we provided up to 1 million TL in support through voluntary agreements on energy bills, but participation was limited. We have redesigned the system, and once the necessary approvals are obtained, we will relaunch it soon. In the new program, not only energy intensity but also energy consumption per unit of product will be eligible for incentives,” he said.
Under the new framework, industrialists will be able to choose their targets — whether reducing energy intensity or lowering energy use per product — regardless of sector, from dairy to cement or steel. The incentive budget will total approximately 17–18 million TL, with priority given to circular economy initiatives and energy-efficient products.
Recalling that Turkey imports $60–70 billion worth of energy annually, Düzgün stressed the importance of domestic energy efficiency investments:
“This doesn’t have to be our destiny. Keeping that $70 billion within the country could fund dozens of R&D centers or city hospitals. The projects supported by the Ministry have short payback periods — two to three years for fan systems, two years for pumps, four to five years for compressors, and four years for motor projects. These figures should accelerate industrialists’ investment decisions.”
Source: Anadolu Ajansı/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök