By News Centre
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and
Chairman of the Zero Waste Foundation Samed Ağırbaş met with the
managers of digital news portals at an event hosted by the Zero
Waste Foundation. During the discussion program held the previous
day, Minister Bayraktar shared his assessments on ongoing work,
geopolitical developments, and current issues.
Key remarks by Minister Alparslan Bayraktar:
A few weeks ago, we signed a cooperation protocol with the Zero
Waste Foundation here, and we are rapidly turning it into concrete
projects. In the energy sector, Türkiye is dealing with three
fundamental issues.
First is rising demand. Türkiye is a growing economy with an
increasing population. We are entering a period where electricity
demand will rise significantly. Global trends are pushing us in
this direction. Electric vehicles are entering our lives. We are
moving toward a more electrified Türkiye and world. Our first task
is to meet this rising demand.
The second issue is energy imports. As demand rises, imports
also increase. This creates a burden on our economy.
The third issue is the 2053 net-zero emissions target announced
by our President. This represents a world in which everything is
changing. The Zero Waste initiative, under the leadership of First
Lady Emine Erdoğan, has become a global brand and was adopted by
the United Nations. Behind it lies the global sustainability
movement, and there is a need for global action. The Paris
Agreement is one pillar of this.
In energy, we are dealing with these three major challenges.
There is one solution that addresses all three: energy efficiency.
We need a Türkiye that uses energy efficiently across its entire
economy. Just as Zero Waste has become a global brand, under the
patronage of Emine Erdoğan and in cooperation with the Zero Waste
Foundation, we aim to elevate energy efficiency first in Türkiye
and then globally in a short time.
We need to mobilize 86 million people. We must increase
awareness. This is an issue from age 7 to 70. On April 23, we met
with children and I told them: go home and tell your families to
turn off lights when not needed. We must build this awareness from
a young age and spread it across the country. We believe
awareness-raising is the most effective path, and we signed a
strong protocol with the Zero Waste Foundation. On June 5–7, we
will host energy ministers at the Zero Waste Forum in Türkiye.
Possibly in September, we will take this issue to a global summit
level.
Türkiye has many projects in place, but the cheapest energy
source is saving energy. It also improves supply security and
reduces emissions when not consumed. What matters is mobilizing
this awareness nationwide as a form of collective effort. We
believe Emine Erdoğan’s leadership will help raise nationwide
awareness.
The UAE announced its withdrawal from OPEC+. The world is
undergoing a major breaking point in energy markets. There is a
significant supply disruption globally—something we did not even
see during the pandemic. Countries may pursue different strategies
or alignments outside OPEC+. We are analyzing these developments
and will see their effects.
OPEC previously aimed to limit production and keep prices high.
Market stabilization is something we expect in terms of pricing,
but we must wait to see how this develops. Around 11 million
barrels per day have effectively exited the global system.
The incident involving Doruk Mining is important. As a
government, we have done everything necessary. Yet we face unfair
criticism that the Ministry of Energy did not support them.
Wherever Doruk Mining operated in Türkiye, problems followed—unpaid
workers, severance issues, and delayed payments. We intervene, but
this company has made it a habit. We have introduced many
incentives to sustain coal mining.
The opposition blocked regulations for coal fields in Yeniköy,
which would have left 3,000 miners unemployed. Of course, we also
need environmental protection, but employment comes first for those
families.
We provide purchase incentives until 2029 for electricity
produced from domestic coal plants. We have parliamentary authority
for this. If there is any “favoritism” being claimed, then we are
supporting 30,000 mining workers—what is the objection? However,
plants with unpaid workers, no filters, or tax debts cannot
benefit. Even then, some companies still do not pay workers. I will
not issue new licenses to such companies. They actually want
protests in front of the Ministry so they can pressure the
government into continuing subsidies. That will not happen.
Türkiye’s energy policy is long-term, with results seen over 10,
20, or 30 years. We have a plan extending to 2050, updated every
five years. The world is entering the age of artificial
intelligence, which will be transformative. We are entering a fully
electrified world, and Türkiye must redesign its next 30 years
around this.
We are electrifying everything. Türkiye has 34 million vehicles
and consumes 27 million tons of diesel annually. The world is
facing a diesel crisis. We aim to expand a 63% localized
electricity market and place electrification at the center of our
energy architecture.
We need investments in renewables, energy efficiency, and
electricity transmission infrastructure worth tens of billions of
dollars. We also aim to strengthen electricity grids, gas, and oil
pipelines in the region.
We proposed extending the Iraq–Türkiye oil pipeline to Basra,
which could have allowed 1.5 million barrels per day to flow
through Türkiye. We also aim to transport Qatari gas via Syria or
Iraq to Türkiye and Europe, bring Turkmen gas via the Caspian, and
develop electricity interconnections via Saudi
Arabia–Jordan–Syria–Türkiye.
Our new energy architecture is based on connectivity. We aim for
zero-carbon energy supply. By 2035, we expect 6–8 million electric
vehicles. Transportation will be heavily electrified.
We are not abandoning oil and gas. Türkiye still needs around 2
million barrels per day, and this demand is increasing.
Electrification will reduce it partially, but not eliminate it.
We are entering a new phase of the National Energy and Mining
Policy, now in its 10th year. Türkiye Petroleum Corporation will
play a more active role abroad. We are present in Somalia, Libya,
Pakistan, Central Asia, and exploring projects in Venezuela. We aim
for 1 million barrels per day production.
We remain committed to the Mediterranean. After nine offshore
drillings, we have not yet found a discovery like the Black Sea gas
field. Our focus is increasing Black Sea production, where we see
great potential.
We are also working on a natural gas pipeline project to
Northern Cyprus. The State Pipeline Company (BOTAŞ) is conducting
engineering studies. If successful, any discovered gas could be
delivered to Türkiye.
At Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, we have no issues with Russia.
Some delays in equipment and financing were resolved with the
support of the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin.
Financing for the first two reactors has been secured. Russia
remains engaged, and we are also exploring alternatives for the
Sinop nuclear project with China, South Korea, and Canada.
On rare earth elements, we initially worked with China, but
China restricted technology exports. We continue to seek
technological alternatives. Türkiye is preparing a Critical
Minerals Strategy, which will soon be announced. A committee will
be formed involving ministries and institutions to map critical raw
materials and their transformation into final products.
We have joint work in Syria in mining and oil. In northeastern
Syria, we have expressed interest in certain fields. Recently, we
signed offshore cooperation agreements with Exxon, Chevron, BP,
Shell, and Total. We are also close to signing another major
agreement with BP.
We manage a portfolio approach to allocate resources
efficiently.
If the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues and oil averages $100
per barrel, it could add $13.6 billion in costs by year-end. At
$125, this could reach $24 billion. Due to this crisis, there is
also an estimated 600 billion TL tax shortfall from the fuel price
equalization mechanism.