Zero coal target: 'Turkey can replace coal sites with solar energy fields'

Kangal coal-fired plant in Sivas, Turkey (Photo: Europe Beyond Coal)

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According to a new report released by environmental and climate groups, Turkey has a big opportunity to remove coal from power generation: replacing coal sites with solar energy fields.

If solar panels were set up in the open-pit coal mines used to supply coal to power plants, electricity needs of 6.9 million households would be met, says the report.

The calculation was based on 21 mines supplying coal to 22 power plants throughout the country with a total installed capacity of 10,495 MW.

Solar power plants with an installed capacity of 13,189 MW could be installed on the coal sites in question. If this was done, Turkey's solar installed power, which is currently 7,815 MW, would increase by 170 percent.

19 thousand 79 GWh of electricity to be generated with installed power can meet the annual electricity needs of 6.9 million households. In this way, 12.4 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could have been prevented.

Duygu Kutluay, a Europe Beyond Coal campaigner, said that 23 countries in Europe had either quit coal or prepared a roadmap for quitting coal.

"In this process, we see more and more examples where unused coal fields are converted into solar power plants. As our report reveals, coal fields ... can create an important opportunity for the transition to renewable energy in Turkey as part of the gradual coal exit plan.

"Instead of sacrificing the natural areas, which are the greatest treasure of our country, for energy generation, plans should be made so that suitable coal fields can be used."

Onur Akgül, Greenpeace Mediterranean's climate and energy project officer, said, "Leaving open coal mining sites to solar technology can reduce the emissions of the energy sector in a short time and at significantly lower costs.

"In this process, the rapid improvement in public health by moving away from coal and the prevention of further destruction of natural areas will be the other gains. Quitting coal by 2030 is not a dream for Turkey."

The report was prepared by Europe Beyond Coal, CAN Europe, Greenpeace Mediterranean, WWF-Turkey, the Climate Change Policy and Research Association, 350.org, the Ekosfer Association and the Yuva Association.

Fossil fuel use in Turkey

In order to meet the Paris Agreement targets and limit global heating to 1.5°C, countries must collectively reduce their power generation from fossil fuels (coal-11 percent, oil-4 percent, natural gas-3 percent globally) by 6 percent annually over the next decade.

However, according to the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation (TEİAŞ), Turkey's gross electricity production increased by 8 percent in 2021 compared to the previous year.

Of the 331 billion kWh of electricity generated last year, 32.71 percent was provided by natural gas-fired power plants and 31.43 percent by coal-fired thermal power plants. Thus, the share of power plants working with fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas) in electricity production exceeded 64 percent.

According to a report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) dated September 2021, Turkey had a share of 1 percent in global emissions with 530 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions last year and ranked 16th in the world.

24.1 percent of the emissions in Turkey originated from the electricity sector, 21.2 percent from manufacturing, 15.8 percent from transportation, 13.8 percent from buildings, 11.1 percent from waste, 9.3 percent from agriculture, and the remaining 4.7 percent from the maritime, oil and natural gas sectors.