Emphasizing that energy saving cannot be limited to individual efforts, Research Assistant Begüm Çetin from the Electrical-Electronics Engineering Department stated that in the face of increasing population and energy demand, it is imperative for public and local administrations to implement smart grids, digital infrastructures, and renewable energy-focused solutions. Çetin, stating that the climate crisis and rising energy costs have made saving essential, said, “Saving is no longer an individual measure but a mandatory behavior that must be adopted at sectoral, managerial, and international levels.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Electrical-Electronics Engineering (English) Department Research Assistant Begüm Çetin evaluated the topic of new energy sources and energy saving within the scope of January 5–11 Energy Saving Week.
Turkey’s most urgent energy problem is external dependency and fossil fuel dominance
Begüm Çetin, drawing attention to the most fundamental energy problem Turkey faces today, said, “In our country, fossil fuels, which have high carbon emissions and environmental costs, cause climate crisis, and are disadvantageous in terms of energy efficiency, are largely used. However, when we consider the green future of energy, in the process of technology transformation focused on benefits for people and society; it is necessary to increase the use of renewable energy sources among sustainable energy sources that will meet the supply-demand needs of our growing population, reduce our energy sources' external dependency, and ensure our energy efficiency continues uninterruptedly and safely. In this context, promoting the use of renewable energy sources in industrial and commercial areas, office-home environments, and individually, along with proper awareness, is important. Furthermore, relevant infrastructure deficiencies must be completed to be ready for green transformation and technologies.”
Strong potential in renewable energy
Çetin, stating that renewable energy sources are those that exist in nature and allow us to continuously and sustainably utilize energy cleanly, efficiently, reliably, and economically to the extent of our needs, said, “When evaluated in conjunction with our country's geographical location, geological structure, and studies conducted in this context, renewable energy sources are significant potential resources in our country. According to recent studies, the majority of the installed capacity for renewable energy sources is constituted by hydroelectric energy, solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy sources, respectively.”
Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant to be commissioned next year
Çetin, stating that nuclear energy sources are also an energy source that needs to be evaluated regarding whether they are sustainable, said, “It is important to develop technologies related to the waste system and plant system safety of nuclear power plants. If any damage occurs, its negative effects can persist for a long time. Studies on the commissioning of nuclear power plants are continuing in our country, and it was recently reported that our country's first Nuclear Power Plant, Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, will be commissioned next year.”
How is energy transformation, frequently discussed in recent years, reflected in our daily lives?
Research Assistant Begüm Çetin, stating that digitalization in energy transformation, especially in recent years, also encompasses artificial intelligence transformation, continued:
“In preparation for this transformation, the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) will actively implement a plan to ensure smart meter integration in grids under the title 'Digital and Renewable Energy Transformation in Energy Management' as of March 2026. An important point to mention here is that smart meter technology is the fundamental and most important application in transforming grids into smart and microgrids, and consequently, in the transformation of smart cities. Because ensuring energy efficiency means effective energy management, and in this context, measuring devices need to be developed with information and communication technologies. Thus, a technology that provides efficient energy management integration, facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and electric vehicle charging stations into grids and load management, and allowing remote monitoring and control of electricity production-consumption and other power parameters on both producer and consumer axes, is being built. The artificial intelligence transformation in energy is also a separate topic that needs to be addressed, and early fault diagnosis and preventive measures with artificial intelligence could be important issues, especially in ensuring safe and uninterrupted energy supply.”
Citizens are an active part of the transformation
Research Assistant Begüm Çetin, stating that the green energy transformation in our country is progressing in education, industry, and individual usage areas alongside digital transformation, said, “While projects developed through education and industry collaborations offer promising developments, citizens become active stakeholders in this transformation by preferring renewable energy, electric vehicles, and energy-efficient products.”
Saving and efficiency are not the same thing
Research Assistant Begüm Çetin also stated that energy saving consists of measures aimed at reducing energy consumption, and continued, “Energy efficiency, on the other hand, refers to technological and systemic solutions aimed at providing the same service with less energy by reducing losses during the production, transmission, distribution, and consumption phases of energy. The promotion of renewable energy sources, smart meters, and demand-side energy management measurement and control technologies contribute to increasing energy efficiency. Applications such as thermal insulation, efficient lighting systems, and regular maintenance of electrical appliances both provide energy savings and support energy efficiency, allowing for more economical, safe, and environmentally friendly energy use.”
Where are energy losses concentrated in homes?
Begüm Çetin, listing the main causes of energy losses in residences, said, “Energy loss in residences occurs due to the non-use of energy-saving lighting systems, the preference for inefficient electrical appliances, and the lack of necessary thermal insulation in heating systems. Furthermore, the limited widespread use of renewable energy and energy storage systems restricts the increase in energy efficiency.”
Simple but effective tips for winter months
Begüm Çetin, sharing practical measures that can be applied during winter, said, “Unused devices should be disconnected from electricity, and devices should not be left plugged in. Energy-saving light bulbs should be preferred, and unnecessary lighting should be avoided. Measures should be taken to provide thermal insulation at home, and energy-saving electrical appliances should be preferred. To enable demand-side energy management and monitoring and control of energy parameters, smart meters or bi-directional meters should be integrated instead of mechanical meters, and the use of renewable energy sources with energy storage systems should be encouraged.”
Energy saving is a public responsibility
Emphasizing that energy saving cannot be solely imposed on individuals, Begüm Çetin continued:
“As long as we are aware and conscious of our individual responsibilities, we contribute to energy saving to a certain extent, but to manage the energy demand of our increasing population, reduce our energy's external dependency, and achieve energy efficiency sustainably in our country, public and local administrations must have solutions that will ensure energy saving. Firstly, we are in a process where information and communication technologies are effectively used, and sustainability and human/society-oriented technological evolution are taking place. With the awareness of being part of this process, preparations should be made for transitioning to smart and microgrids that support the use and control of renewable energy sources from clean, economical, and safe energy sources.
In this context, a more flexible, measurable, and durable infrastructure should be provided. In addition to establishing communication networks and data control centers that allow for bidirectional data flow in grids, importance should be given to systematic integrity work where power and fault data can be remotely controlled and fault and outage predictions can be made in advance with artificial intelligence technologies. Within the scope of sustainability and development plans, the applicability of these studies should be supported through projects and workshops developed in cooperation with universities and industry. Incentives for the use of electric and energy-efficient vehicles in public and individual transportation should be increased, and energy-efficient building standards should be made mandatory. Furthermore, to increase awareness regarding green energy and digital transformation, awareness campaigns should be conducted at all education levels, starting from primary school.”
Saving is now mandatory
Begüm Çetin, stating that the climate crisis and rising energy costs have made saving mandatory, concluded her words by saying, “Turkey has adopted the 2053 net zero emission target under the Paris Agreement. In line with the 12th Development Plan and 2024–2026 targets, the acceleration of the green energy transformation is planned. Furthermore, universities continue to work within their Strategic Plans to contribute to sustainable transformation. In light of all this information, saving is no longer an individual measure but a mandatory behavior that must be adopted at sectoral, managerial, and international levels.”