EU and Turkey is Working Together for Environment. This was the topic of the seminar which was organized by Edirne EU Information Center in Trakya University, Edirne between 3rd and 5th February 2010 and where Leyla Arsan, the CEO of TAGES made a presentation about Promoting Innovation in the Renewable Energy sector.
EU and Turkey is Working Together for Environment which continued for three days was held with the participation of specialists in environmental issues in Edirne Trakya University Balkan Convention Center. On the first day of the organization, 3rd of February 2010, ‘Waste Management in Municipality’ panel was organized. Afterwards, ‘Recycling of Waste’ workshop was held.
Leyla Arsan, the CEO of TAGES, participated in the event and made a presentation on the FIRE Project (Facilitating Innovation in Renewable Energies), which is funded by the European Union under 6th Framework Programme, as a success story in promoting innovation in renewable energies on the 4th of February 2010, in the second day of ‘Alternative Energy Sources’ Panel. Specialists and academicians on energy and environment issues such as Assistant Professor Doctor Burak DEMİREL from Boğaziçi University, New Technology Research and Development Center Manager Prof. Dr. Tanay Sıtkı UYAR from Marmara University has also participated to ‘Alternative Energy Sources’ Panel as speakers.
On the last day of the event, ‘Waste Policy of the European Union and Applications’ panel discussion was held with Dutch specialists in environmental issues who are Specialist Design Engineer Eddie Koornneef from DHV Amersfoort, Harmonization Manager of VAR Richard Broekhof and Technical Department Director of VAR Ruurd van Schaik.
Leyla Arsan at the beginning of her presentation mentioned that TAGES contributes by 4.509.742 Euro to Turkey’s project volume through EU funds which include 37% of Turkey’s Leonardo Da Vinci Programme Project volume, 29% of EUREKA/EUROSTARS Project volume, 12% of FP7 project volume and 9% of FP6 project volume of Turkey. Arsan continued her presentation with Facilitating Innovation in Renewable Energies (FIRE) Project which was ended on December 2009. She stated that FIRE Project aimed to support SMEs operating in renewable energy sector having a potential for R&D to participate in the EU 7th Framework Programme (FP7) and was composed of 16 organisations from 12 countries among whom TAGES took part as the only organisation from Turkey in the project consortium.
Arsan also gave the following information about project processes in her presentation. In the project;
- TAGES was cooperated with Sustainable Energy Europe, Yeditepe University Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Contact Point of FP7 Energy Area, İstanbul Technical University – Department of Chemical Engineering, TUBITAK Marmara Research Center and Ecofys Turkey,
- TAGES has formed a database of 154 companies working in renewable energy sector in Turkey and has established contacts with numerous energy companies in other European countries. TAGES has supported 48 SMEs which exist in the database of Turkish FIRE SME within the frame of the project.
- Innovation audits were completed with the interested Turkish FIRE SMEs.
- TAGES organized a training on the Participation to the EU 7th Framework Programme for renewable energy sector SMEs in Boğaziçi University Alumni Association on the 30th May of 2008. 24 participants who were 12 Renewable Energy SME representatives, representative of FIRE Project Partner MFFK from Hungary, Prof. Nilüfer Eğrican from Yeditepe University, Dr. Baha Kuban from Ecofys Turkey, Dr. Atilla Ersöz from TUBITAK Marmara Research Center and Aslı Vural from National Contact Point of FP7 Energy Area participated to the FIRE Workshop
- 8 Turkish SMEs are incorporated in 8 energy projects in FP7.
Also Arsan stated project results as followings:
- FIRE Project SMEs’ profiles were launched on the European Union FP7 official website CORDIS
- Cooperations were established with Turkish RES SMEs and European counterparts in Info Days on FP7-ENERGY, FP7-ICT-ENERGY and in other activities related to energy in Turkey and Brussels
At the end of Arsan’s presentation, she mentioned about FP7 energy projects in which Turkish SMES are partners with support of TAGES by means of FIRE projects. Some of the project examples are Biofuel Gasification System for Production with 2nd Generation Fuel, Innovation System for Electricity Production from Sea and River Waste, Innovative and Sustainable Process for Renewable Diesel Fuel Production from Wild Vegetable Oils, Efficient Environmental Heating / Cooling Combined with Deployment of Renewable Energy Resources Production.
The event had been successful in the sense that it created conscious on environmental issues and gathered the representatives of academy, industry, local government and municipality to share ideas and discuss the topics for strengthening Turkey’s stance on the issue and approaching to the European Union.
