By Zeynep Beyza Karabay and Muhsin Baris Tiryakioglu
ANKARA
Turkey could save more than half of its spending on energy by adopting energy-efficiency policies, a policy expert has claimed.
Riza Koroglu, director of Istanbul-based Total Energy Efficiency, has told the Anadolu Agency that if Turkey reached the level of Germany – the world’s leading energy efficient nation – the country could save $39 billion on its $65 billion annual energy spend.
Koroglu’s comments come after recent statements from two Turkish government ministers about the need to adopt and support energy efficiency policies.
"Germany spends 1 kilowatt of electricity for the same work that Turkey spends 2.5 kilowatts of electricity on. If Turkey manages to reach Germany's level, Turkey could save up to 60 percent of its spending," Koroglu said.
Energy efficiency is not a choice; it is a requirement, he added.
Turkey has a potential of saving 15 billion Turkish liras (about $7 billion) by adopting energy efficiency policies annually, according to the country’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz, speaking on Monday.
Turkey has saved 3 billion liras (about $1.34 billion) over the last three years by using energy efficiency, a sum equal to the amount needed to build a large hydro-electric power plant, the minister said.
Minister of Finance Mehmet Simsek also announced last week that his department was prepared to support energy efficiency with specific policies.
Energy spending is the biggest contributor to Turkey’s current deficit, Simsek said.
He announced plans for lowering a special consumption tax for house appliances with high energy efficiency and payment installments for building insulation.
Germany is in first place when it comes to energy efficiency thanks to its target of a 20 percent reduction in primary energy consumption by 2020 compared with 2008, according to a report published by the Washington, D.C.-based American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
The report lists the first 16 countries with the highest energy efficiency numbers; Turkey is not included.
Germany came first globally because of its mandatory codes requiring both residential and commercial buildings to reduce energy consumption as well as tax reduction and loan regulations, the report said.
Italy is in second place with the help of its efficiency in transit
The European Union as a whole came in third while China and France both tied for fourth. Britain and Japan made the top five.
The rest of the countries to make the top 16 in the world for energy efficiency are: Spain; Canada; Australia; India; South Korea; the U.S.; Russia; Brazil and Mexico.
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