The progress, challenges, and opportunities of renewable energy cooperatives in Turkey

Basit Öğe Kaydı
dc.contributor.authorÖzgül, S.
dc.contributor.authorKoçar, G.
dc.contributor.authorEryaşar, A.
dc.date.accessioned2020-12-01T11:52:20Z
dc.date.available2020-12-01T11:52:20Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.departmentEge Üniversitesien_US
dc.description.abstractRenewable energy cooperatives (RECs) in Turkey have received considerable attention in recent years and the total number of cooperatives is 46 in 2020. With increased environmental awareness and energy demand, RECs aim the local and renewable resources to be used by the people of the region by creating an example venture model through cooperatives. The growth in the number of cooperatives has resulted largely from Turkish energy policy and arrangement of Renewable Energies Act. This study is aimed to identify energy cooperatives, current situations, advantages, characterizing the implementation barriers RECs face and external factors. For this purpose, an online questionnaire was carried out with REC members and questionnaires were sent to 468 members of 20 cooperatives via e-mail, and approximately 80% return was obtained, 16 management board members were interviewed with categorized questions, and RECs websites were examined, as well. This paper presents an overview of This paper presents an overview of Turkish energy cooperatives in terms of organization, financing, membership, technology, policy, internal and external barriers drawing on collected data. How to create a better understanding of energy cooperatives and contribute to the Turkish energy policy were discussed. RECs could be an example venture model to provide the local and renewable resources to be used by the people of the region. Also, RECs can be an important building block of the energy transition in Turkey where consumed energy mainly imported from abroad and if RECs are to continue to play an important role in the energy transition, policy makers are expected to support their growth. These findings may be a guide for further researches for Turkey. © 2020 International Energy Initiativeen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipEuropean Commission, ECen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe first cooperative was established in 2014, and with a rapid increase approximately half of the present cooperatives were established in 2016. The number of their members is generally the same as the beginning but only a few cooperatives have increased their number of members. There is a similar motivation behind the increase in the number of members of the cooperative, which was founded in 2016 and has 62 members, and the cooperative, which was established in 2017 and has 90 members. This motivation is related with financial model because both of were supported by Agriculture and Rural Development Support Agency (TKDK) provide to use the resources from the EU. It means getting rid of a significant financial burden. This support positively effected the increase in the number of members. Similarly, the cooperative, which was founded in 2018 and has 42 members was supported by a programme which consist of State- TKDK- non-governmental organization. Differentiating from those, the cooperative, which was founded in 2018 and has 245 members consists of tradesmen from the same industrial zone. The cooperative rely on the solar PV on their workplaces roof. The main motivation behind this high number, is that tradesmen want to produce electricity to meet their high energy expenses. All of the RECs in Turkey rely on solar-powered generation since solar facilities scale easily and exploit low maintenance requirements. Also, cooperatives can be classified according to financial model types. The financial resources of more than half of these cooperatives is their own capital. Only four of the cooperatives are financed by a project which consists of the state, TKDK, and a non-governmental organization. 55% of the project is financed by TKDK and 45% by loan. In addition to these, just two cooperatives are supported by municipality. On the other hand, the distribution of RECs is varied. Six of the cooperatives in Marmara Region, four in Aegean region, four in Mediterranean region, three in Black Sea region, two in Central Anatolia region and one in Eastern Anatolia region are located ( Koopbis, 2018 ). Moreover, the job distribution of members is also quite variational. The members consist mainly of retirees, business people, farmers, tradesmen, teachers and public officials. All cooperatives members could access the electricity grid. Only four renewable energy cooperatives are located in rural area but their members can access the electricity grid. These cooperatives are supported by a program called as the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance Rural Development (IPARD) Programme. The motivation of this program is to meet the electricity need for the villagers agricultural and husbandry activities.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipWe would like to thank General Directorate of Cooperatives of Republic of Turkey - Ministry of Trade for their support. We are especially thankful to our interview partners for sharing their time and knowledge. Also, we would like to thank the Council of Higher Education , Republic of Turkey ( 100/2000 CoHE Doctoral Scholarship Program) for the financial support.en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.esd.2020.09.005
dc.identifier.endpage119en_US
dc.identifier.issn0973-0826
dc.identifier.issn0973-0826en_US
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-85092100849en_US
dc.identifier.scopusqualityQ1en_US
dc.identifier.startpage107en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.esd.2020.09.005
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/11454/61504
dc.identifier.volume59en_US
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopusen_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherElsevier B.V.en_US
dc.relation.ispartofEnergy for Sustainable Developmenten_US
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanıen_US
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessen_US
dc.subjectCooperativeen_US
dc.subjectEnergy policyen_US
dc.subjectRenewable energyen_US
dc.titleThe progress, challenges, and opportunities of renewable energy cooperatives in Turkeyen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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