Barriers and Opportunities for Transformation of Conventional Energy System of Turkey to 100 % Renewable Community Power

Turkey has been a destination for the inefficient and polluting end-use technologies that are cast off, with the support of export credits, from more industrialized countries. The Turkish energy system is highly dependent on fossil fuels. This also places a heavy burden on the state budget of the Turkish Republic. The solution is to promote energy end-use efficiency by using the best available technologies and supply all of the energy needed with renewable energy, supported by renewable energy storage and smart grid technologies. We must come to a consensus regarding the sun’s role in providing a living space for human beings on earth. The world is like a cell surrounded by a blanket of greenhouse gases that give it an atmosphere with an average temperature of 16 °C, in the middle of a space with an average temperature of −60 °C. Considering its natural solar, geothermal, wind, and biomass potential, Turkey definitely has more renewable energy resources than the world average. The official energy strategy in Turkey is constrained by the previous and current decisions of fossil fuel, nuclear, and hydropower investors. The externalities of energy consumption and production are not internalized in Turkey. Regarding the implementation of energy end-use efficiency and renewable energy technologies, Turkey is far behind the European Union directives. Turkish energy policies do not comply with European Union regulations on renewable energies and energy efficiency. Annual IRENEC (100 % Renewable Energy) Conferences organized by Renewable Energy Association of Turkey since 2011 aim to pursue improvements in energy end-use efficiency and renewable energies, and to create the infrastructure required to realize the 100 % renewable energy goal in industry, local communities, architecture, and transportation.