The Evaluation of Energy Efficiency in Turkey

Global climate change is one of the most important and complex problem challenging the world community. The impact of the climate change on the nature and human kind will likely be destructive. Even though the international community is aware of consequences, there is still a lack of political on the side of the governments to take the relevant and necessary steps against further climate change. Besides efforts against an increase of CO2 emissions, the development of intelligent energy strategies based on an intelligent mixture of renewable and energy efficiency will answer towards this urgent matter. Turkey enjoys strategic importance with its geopolitical location, as an intersection point between the Asian and European continents and its close proximity to 70% of the world's energy resources. The location presents a unique opportunity to act as an 'energy corridor and terminal' among the Middle Eastern, Caspian and the Western energy markets. Emission growth rates are expected to rise rapidly due to rising energy demand driven by Turkey's rapid economic growth, industrialization, steady population growth and the countries reliance on fossil fuels. Unless energy growth is moderated to optimum levels in terms of efficiency on both the supply side and demand side, Turkey may face an energy deficit in the near future. So as to ensure an energy efficient growth trend, careful planning and integration of effective demand side management alternatives are necessary in medium and long term. In recent years, Turkey has started to pay more attention to the benefits of energy efficiency for securing energy supplies to a rapidly growing economy, reducing pollution and easing the burden of energy costs on the economy. This paper focuses on the national and local level of energy efficiency in Turkey. It is analysed the legal frame of any energy efficiency measure in Turkey and the role of possible stakeholders on the local level. The following research questions are to be answered: What is Turkey's energy efficiency potential? What is the role of energy efficiency in climate change policies in Turkey? Civil society organisations and local administrations are main stakeholders in raising awareness of energy efficiency measures and in the implementation of energy efficiency. Therefore a national strategy that takes this important role of local stakeholders into concern would bear the chance for success.