Izmir Development Agency (IZKA) called for international wind energy collaboration with the western port city of Izmir, dubbed ‘the wind capital of Turkiye’, IZKA's BEST For Energy project Coordinator, Hulya Ulusoy Sungur, said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the WindEurope Conference in Bilbao this year, Sungur hailed Izmir as a production hub of wind sector equipment, ranking Turkiye in fifth place in Europe for wind energy equipment manufacturing.
She said the port city of Izmir has dealt in trade for decades, offering a conduit between Asia and Europe.
The province has also made significant progress in clean energy technologies over the last 20 years.
'We are trying to become a network hub that stimulates collaborative action among members. We have good companies, a strong infrastructure, and good quality products. We have flexible production and a qualified workforce, but we know these are not enough. We are looking to the future. To build the future together, we need international collaboration,' she said.
The large region with a diversified economy and multisectoral economy, ranging from agriculture to defense and aviation, automotive, machinery and textiles, has become competent in wind energy production, equipment manufacturing and services covering logistics and maintenance.
'It has 16 ports, 10 universities, five technoparks, 16 organized industrial zones, three free zones and a population of 4.4 million,” she said.
As part of the wind sector's global supply chain, Sungur urged international cooperation in the clean energy sector to become stronger and more competitive.
The wind energy ecosystem involves 300 shareholders with original equipment manufacturers and hosts international research centers and academic, financial, and non-governmental organizations.
A study visit by Turkish officials and entrepreneurs was organized as part of the BEST For Energy (Boosting Effective and Sustainable Transformation for Energy) Project, supported by the European Commission within the scope of the Competitive Sectors Program of Turkiye's Ministry of Industry and Technology.
Initiated in the third quarter of 2020, IZKA, along with the Association of Energy Industrialists and Businessmen (ENSIA) headquartered in Izmir, has been responsible for launching the BEST For Energy project to promote green growth and achieve environmental-focused sustainable economic development goals through structural development.
By Ebru Sengul Cevrioglu
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr