The French-Turkish Clean Energy Summit Unites Major Players in the Industry
The French Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye (CCI France-Turquie) and Rönesans Enerji collaborated to organize the French-Turkish Clean Energy Summit to foster cooperation and joint investments in the energy sector between France and Türkiye.
French Ambassador to Türkiye Isabella Dumont delivered a message outlining a brighter future at the French-Turkish Clean Energy Summit. She emphasized that the business partnership between French and Turkish companies extends beyond wind, solar, and water. Stating that French companies are aware of Türkiye's potential and have made significant investments in the country, Dumont said, "I want to emphasize the positive implications of the partnership between TotalEnergies and Rönesans Holding, which was established in July. I am confident that this collaboration will contribute greatly to Türkiye in the realm of renewable energy. The climate agreement between Türkiye and France holds paramount importance, encompassing renewable energy initiatives, enhanced energy efficiency, and decarbonization efforts. France's commitment extends beyond financial support to include technical assistance and cooperation. Our primary objective is to contribute to a greener world. I believe that this summit will not only reinforce the robust bond between France and Türkiye but also sow the seeds for crucial cooperation."
The Energy Sector Undergoes Rapid Transformation
Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, emphasized the rapid transformation in the energy sector. He warned that companies, investors, and governments failing to keep up with this change might miss crucial opportunities and face significant risks. Birol highlighted the swift construction of renewable energy plants worldwide, stating, "Clean energy and its sources will undeniably shape the sector in the coming years; this isn't just due to climate change; renewable energy stands out in terms of both cost and energy security. In 2015, global clean energy investments were around $1 trillion; now, this figure has reached $2 trillion. Fossil fuel investments remain at $1 trillion today, just as they were in 2015. The transportation sector is undergoing a significant transformation, with one in five cars sold this year being electric, compared to one in 25 three years ago. Calculations indicate that in the near future, half of the vehicles sold will be electric.”
Fatih Birol expressed his satisfaction that Türkiye and France are addressing the issue of clean energy together before expanding: "I think that Türkiye, which is very rich in terms of renewable energy potential, has great promise when it comes to geothermal and bioenergy. The right steps are being taken in this regard. The issue of offshore wind power farms is also critical. France takes this issue very seriously, and there is great potential in Türkiye. I believe that Türkiye and France will benefit from each other in the field of energy efficiency. In addition, I think the two countries will accomplish successful work in producing clean energy equipment, namely solar panels and wind turbines."
WE ARE WORKING TO INCREASE COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES
Frank Mereyde, President of the French Chamber of Commerce in Türkiye (CCI France-Turquie), stated that the summit, organized for the first time this year, is of great importance in promoting cooperation in the renewable energy sector in the Türkiye-France-EU triangle. Stating that global goals in terms of green transformation and the use of green energy resources are prioritized in the agenda of the entire business world, Mereyde highlighted that international cooperation plays a vital role in achieving these goals. Stressing that Türkiye's National Energy Plan aims to increase the share of renewable energy sources in total primary energy consumption to 50% by 2053, Frank Mereyde added that France aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 within the scope of the Paris Climate Agreement. Emphasizing that in this process, the French Chamber of Commerce, with contributions from the Embassy of France in Ankara and relevant stakeholder institutions, aim to increase cooperation opportunities by bringing together Turkish and French technology and expertise with joint financing models, Mereyde said, "I believe that Türkiye and France can emerge as global champions of green transformation in the new economic order due to their innovative initiatives.”
WE AIM TO INVEST 2,000 MW OF GREEN ENERGY IN FIVE YEARS
In his speech at the Green Financing panel organized within the scope of the summit, Emre Hatem, Member of the Board of Rönesans Enerji, said that thanks to the cooperation between France and Türkiye, investments in green energy are regarded as beneficial for the sector, both countries and the world in general. After restating that the partnership between Rönesans Holding and TotalEnergies in Rönesans Enerji commenced in July, Emre Hatem continued his words as follows: "With this partnership, Rönesans Enerji started to carry out its activities under the umbrella of the partnership of Rönesans Holding and TotalEnergies (50-50%). Immediately after the partnership, we reached an agreement with Heitkamp Industrial Solutions GmbH and Nordex Group for our first investment, a 189 MW wind energy investment, in line with our goal of becoming one of the top 3 green energy companies in Türkiye. At Rönesans Enerji, our goal is to realize approximately 7% of the green energy investments envisaged in Türkiye's National Energy Plan until 2028. We aim to make 2 billion Euros worth of green energy investments, equivalent to 2,000 MW in five years. Thanks to these investments, we will prevent the import of approximately 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually and save 3.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.”
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