Energy firms wait for authorization
Posted by meb at April 30th, 2008
An agreement to construct 10 wind power plants in Turkey has been signed by a consortium consisting of Epuron, a majoy project development and structured financing company in renewable energy, and Ataseven Group, Turkey’s leading firm operating in the energy, construction and export areas.
The wind power plants, which are planned for construction in İzmir, Balıkesir, Manisa and Bursa, will have 3,000 megawatts of production capacity. The construction for the plants will begin upon the approval of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK), which is expected to be received by 2009.
“We applied for the license to EPDK on Nov. 1 last year and we are waiting for the authorization to build the plants. After getting the legal permissions, we will complete the power plants within three or four years,” said Türker Baloğlu, Epuron’s Turkey director.
“The size of the renewable energy market has reached nearly $300 billion through the decline in fossil-based fuel sources such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. Turkey’s need for energy is growing at 7 to 8 percent annually. Renewable energy sources such as wind, sun, water and geo-thermals have to be taken into serious consideration,” said Baloğlu.
“Turkey, with its 50 percent annual growth potential, is one of the strongest markets for wind energy in the Mediterranean. We have several locations here to carry out various projects. The amount of megawatts we will convert can only be determined after the conclusion of EPDK’s approval process,” Joachim Müller, Epuron’s chief financial officer, said at a press meeting in Istanbul yesterday.
“Our partner Epuron, which has proven its expertise via large renewable energy projects in Germany, France, Italy and Australia, will bring know-how via implementing large wind tribune parks in Turkey, said Mustafa Serdar Ataseven, managing director of Ataseven Group, and added, “ We aim to play an important role in Turkey’s wind energy market with Epuron.”
Epuron, a member of Conergy AG, which produces and installs solar systems and wind power stations for its customers in more than 20 countries, financed and implemented over 90 large-scale projects worldwide with an investment portfolio of 735 million euros since its foundation in 1998. The company collected 150 million euros in turnover last year.
Turkey invites bids for two power grids:
While the approval process for constructing renewable power plants is continuing, Turkey invited bids for two power distribution networks in the center and east of the country and set a July 15 deadline for offers. The country needs to boost investment in power generation to stave off projected shortfalls as demand surges.
The government is selling rights to distribute electricity in the region around Konya, in central Turkey, and the region around Erzurum, in the east, according to an e-mail from the Ankara based Privatization Administration (ÖİB) yesterday.“Turkey is reducing the role of the government in the energy industry in a bid to increase productivity and create more jobs,” Mehmet Şimşek, state minister for the Treasury, said in Istanbul yesterday.
source: Turkish Daily News
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