Energy Assignment Part 2

Hydroelectricity in Turkey is the largest renewable source of electricity however solar power looks likely to increase rapidly. Wind power in Turkey is mainly in the west.

Geothermal power in Turkey is used mainly for heating.
By massively increasing production of solar power in the south and wind power in the west Turkey could meet its entire predicted 2020 energy demand from renewable sources.

The primary type of power used in Turkey is in natural gas and oil. It is estimated that Turkey's oil reserves is at 270 million barrels, located mostly in the southeast region. Turkey's oil production peaked in 1991 at 85 thousand barrels per day (bbl/d), but then declined each year and bottomed out in 2004 at 43 thousand bbl/d. Although Turkey's production of liquid fuels has increased slightly since 2004, it is far short of what the country consumes each year.

How is oil used?

• Transportation Fuels (Gasoline, Diesel, Jet Fuel)
• Asphalt
• Fertilizer
• Heating
• Electrical generation

Environmental impact:

- air emissions; Burning oil at power plants produces nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, methane and mercury compounds. The amount of sulfur dioxide and mercury compounds can vary greatly depending on the sulfur and mercury content of the oil that is burned.

- water resource use; Oil-fired power plants use large quantities of water for steam production and cooling. When oil-fired power plants remove water from a lake or river, fish and other aquatic life can be killed, which affects those animals and people who depend on these aquatic resources.

- water discharges; Refineries release treated wastewater, which can contain pollutants, into streams and other bodies of water. 

- land resource use; construction of large oil-fired power plants can destroy habitats for animals and plants. 

The estimates of Turkish natural gas reserves is at 218 billion cubic feet (Bcf). Turkey produced 27 Bcf of natural gas in 2011, relying almost exclusively on imports to meet domestic demand. Turkey's energy demand growth has been among the fastest in the world in 2010 and 2011, although slower economic growth in 2012 has dampened the natural gas consumption increase to some extent.

Natural gas is a more affordable heat source than oil. 

 

How is natural gas used?

• Natural gas heats households. It also cools many homes and provides fuel for cooking. 
• Because natural gas burns cleaner than gasoline or diesel, many companies and municipalities are deploying fleets of natural gas-powered cars, trucks and buses to reduce emissions. 
• steam heat production
• electrical generation
• manufacturing and industrial uses like producing steel, glass, forest products, clothing, cement, fertilizer and petrochemicals
• creating polyethylene polymers, which is the most widely used plastic

Environmental impact:

- air pollution; combustion of natural gas produces amounts of sulfur, mercury, and particulates. Burning natural gas does produce nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are precursors to smog.

- land and wildlife disturbance; construction and land disturbance required for oil and gas drilling can alter land use and harm local ecosystems by causing erosion and fragmenting wildlife habitats and migration patterns

- risk of pollution of water; oil and gas development may pose health risks to nearby communities through contamination of drinking water sources with hazardous chemicals used in drilling.