Powergie offers ’sunny future’ with new solar energy systems
Tuncmatik, operating in the Turkish energy business for 40 years, is hoping to play a larger role in Turkey’s energy generation market with its new Powergie brand, created in partnership with Japanese electronics giant Kyocera. With “photovoltaic” technology that produces electricity from sunlight, Powergie aims to produce reliable low-cost energy for the Turkish market.
“Turkey is the second-best country in Europe in terms of solar energy potential,” Tuncmatik Chairman Mehmet Ozer said. He was speaking at a press conference to announce the partnership with Kyocera in Istanbul yesterday. “Germany is highly qualified in this area, but Turkey has more solar energy potential. To illustrate, even northern Turkey is exposed to more sun than the sunniest parts of Germany,” Özer said. However, Germany has 130,000 small-sized solar energy generation plants with a total capacity of 1,100 megawatts (MW) annually. “Our aim is to provide Turkey with solar energy generating equipment to provide it with electricity produced at a lower cost,” he added.
Kyocera solar energy division expert Dr. Stefan Wiebach said photovoltaic energy is an alternative source of energy for developing countries. “Installing the solar systems will help increase employment,” he said, adding: “In developing countries like Turkey where industrial production is on the increase, we have to find new resources as alternatives to traditional ones such as coal, natural gas and oil as these resources are limited. Solar energy, on the other hand, is a renewable source of energy.”
“The cost of energy consumed by Turkey today is very high. Natural gas accounts for 50 percent of all energy consumed, while coal and fuel make up 20 percent. Deliberating on signing the Kyoto Protocol, a part of the international Framework Convention on Climate Change, Turkey must use renewable resources. Since the system does not emit carbon gas, it is the best choice for energy supply,” Ozer says.
Tuncmatik expects Powergie to increase the prominence of solar energy in Turkey. This system provides energy not only in the summer but year round. Even a little sunshine is enough for the process. Ozer also drew attention to the importance of government support. “When we applied to the relevant offices under the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, we received no reasonable answer. They always responded with ‘We don’t know.’ We have significant resources but have difficulty putting them to use,” he said. The sector is expected to grow by 40-50 percent in the near future.
Tags: Kyocera, Powergie, solar energy division, solar systems, Tuncmatik, Turkey, turkish market