AFTER MATH OF THE LIGNITE POWER PLANTS PRIVATIZATION POLICY OF TURKEY UNDER CONSIDERATION OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT - 2015

摘要

Turkey has undertaken several policies since the 1970’s to utilize its Lignite reserves. Various technologies have been considered and implemented throughout 4 decades. In the beginning the state owned power generation company was commissioned to invest in such power plants. In the 1990’s to 2000’s the role was passed to the private sector, but without much success. After the banking crisis in 2001 and the restructuring of the banking system with the guidance of the IMF, the account deficit and dependence on Russia sourced natural gas was brought front, thus Lignite utilization policies were told to be essential. The market paradigms where barely supporting this vision, thus the private sector didn’t pay much attention to this hard to burn fuel. But policies where enforced. Along the same time line Global energy policies turned severely towards the supporting the renewable energy sources (RES). As a result of the evolution in RES technologies, their efficiencies, CAPEX and OPEX costs and viable subvention schemes the market share of RES sourced electricity increased from 20% to 44%. Further triggered by the global economical and local stagnation the market paradigms changed (power and cleaner coal prices turned down) and made the Lignite fuelled power plant (“LCPP”) investments totally none viable. Thus the Turkish Government recently introduced harsh subvention methods to support the LCPP investments to the disadvantage of the cleaner imported steam coal thermal power plant technologies. With its 80 GW power generation capacity Turkey’s energy policies with their controversy to the COP 21 outcomes, become an interesting topic to look at. This paper will evaluate and evaluate the question ‘Are Lignite subvention policies sustainable from an economical and environmental perspective?’ and ‘Are there other possibilities to solve the economic and social burden of the Lignite mining sector and related power plants?’.