The Evolution of R&D Activities in the Energy Sector: A Comparative Analysis

Turkey’s energy sector underwent significant transformations in research and development (R&D) expenditures and employment structure during the period from 2009 to 2023. According to data from the Central Bank’s Income Statement (IS), R&D expenditures in the energy sector increased from 17.690,6 million TRY in 2009 to 259.792,7 million TRY in 2023. However, this growth has generally lagged behind other sectors such as manufacturing and software. In contrast, survey data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) indicate that R&D expenditure growth in the energy sector significantly outpaced other sectors between 2019 and 2023, a trend that may be associated with the increasing integration of data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies. The sector’s R&D share within net sales and operating expenses remains low and does not follow the general upward trend—except in 2023. Profitability in the sector has shown substantial instability, with losses recorded in six of the fifteen years examined. The data does not confirm a statistically significant relationship between increased profitability and greater allocation to R&D. In terms of employment, the energy sector lagged behind other sectors until 2019, but experienced a more than 100% increase in R&D personnel after 2020. Nevertheless, the share of R&D personnel in total employment (0.56%) remains well below the average levels for Turkey’s commercial and manufacturing sectors (1.36% and 1.96%, respectively). The study identifies significant inconsistencies between Central Bank and TurkStat data, likely stemming from differences between accounting regulations and survey declarations, which warrant further investigation. Given the strategic importance of R&D and employment performance in shaping technological capacity and achieving sustainable development goals, deeper analyses on data consistency are recommended.