Greece and Turkey have been cooperating in joint energy projects since the beginning of the 21st century. Thus, today the two countries are partners in a number of strategic energy sectors.
On the initiative of the SE Europe Energy Institute, the first Greek-Turkish energy forum took place today, April 25, 2024, in Istanbul. The 1st ”Greek – Turkish Energy Forum” brought together top managers from the largest companies and organizations in the Greek and Turkish energy sector, as well as a number of distinguished academics and experts from both countries, to the largest city in Turkey, as well as in SE Europe as a whole.
As stated in the announcement, the goal of its organization IENE was to highlight the weighty importance of the energy sector in bilateral economic and commercial relations, as the construction of a “positive agenda” between Greece and Turkey is underway in these sectors. The ”Greek – Turkish Energy Forum” comes at the right time to contribute to exploiting the prospects of cooperation for the energy companies of the two countries.
Besides, as is known, Greece and Turkey have been cooperating in joint energy projects since the beginning of the 21st century. So today the two countries are partners in a number of strategic energy sectors, such as electricity, natural gas, renewable energy, electricity transmission and energy exchanges.
- For more than 15 years, large natural gas and electricity interconnections have been operating that cross the Greece-Turkey border at the Evros.
- Cross-border energy exchanges have developed in the markets of these two products.
- At the same time, between the Energy Exchanges of the two countries – EPİAŞ in Istanbul and HENEX in Athens – cooperation is sought in areas of common interest.
- Also, both countries seek and already play an important role in the issues of the energy agenda in SE Europe and more widely.
The South East European Energy Institute (IENE), based in Athens, is one of the staunch supporters of a closer energy relationship between the two countries, as it has repeatedly invited Turkish businessmen and energy industry experts to the various events it has held in Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and beyond, in the last 15 years or so.
The event began with a welcome of the participants and introductory remarks by the President and Executive Director of IENE, Mr. Kostis Stambolis, while, subsequently, his own introductory remarks were made by the Managing Partner of the Turkish ADG Anadolu Natural Gas Consultancy Trade ltd. and Senior Partner of IENE in Turkey, Mr. Gokhan Yardim. Afterwards, Mr. Michalis Christidis, Ambassador-at-Large and former Secretary General of the Permanent International Secretariat (PMS) of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (OSEP), and Dr. Halil Yurdakul Yigitgüden, independent energy consultant and former Coordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities of the OSCE and Distinguished Fellow of the IENE, gave a short welcome. Also, the President of the Greek Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority (RAAEF), Prof. Athanasios Dagoumas, participated with a detailed presentation via the internet.
In energy markets and electricity systems of the two countries, the second session was dedicated, chaired by Dr. Halil Yurdakul Yigitgüden. Mr. Taha Meli Arvas, CEO of the Istanbul Energy Exchange (EPİAŞ), Ms. Efi Milioni, Head of the Market Analysis Department of Elpedison (online), Mr. Deniz Coşkun, Deputy General Manager of the Turkish Electricity Transmission Company ( TEİAŞ), and Dr. Stelios Kromlidis, Director of the Business Activities Department of SEleNe CC (Southeast Electricity Network Coordination Center), based in Thessaloniki, participated, as speakers, in the session, with their presentations, while a discussion followed. Afterwards, taped messages from the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey, Mr. Alparslan Bayraktar, and the Minister of Energy and Environment of Greece, Mr. Theodoros Skylakakis, were shown. Both Ministers praised the initiative of IENE to organize the first Greek-Turkish Energy Forum.
The natural gas markets was the topic of the third session of the 1st “Greek – Turkish Energy Forum”, presided over by the Vice-President of the DE and President of the Geopolitics Scientific Committee of IENE, Mr. Christos Dimas, co-chaired by Mr. Gokhan Yardim. Speakers were Dr. Michalis Thomadakis, Director of Strategy and Development of DESFA, Mr. Serkan Hotoglu, Member of the Board and General Manager of OMV Türkiye and Mr. Ahmet Polatkan, Head of the Trade Department of the Turkish SOCAR. A discussion followed between the speakers, who also answered questions from the audience.
The RES were at the center of the next session, where Dr. Mustafa Tiris, General Manager of TDinamik Energy and Vice President of DEİK Energy Council (Energy Business Council), and Partner of IENE. Dr. Ibrahim Erden, President of the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TÜREB) and CEO of Renecore Energy, Türkiye, Mr. Tolga Murat Özdemir, President of the Solar Energy Industry Association (GENSED) of Turkey, Mr. Nikos Stamou, Director of Investment Promotion for the Energy, Environment and Services sectors of Enterprise Greece, and the President of the Greek Association of Photovoltaic Energy Producers (SPEF), Mr. Stelios Loumakis, participated in the specific session, then discussing the investment prospects of the various forms of RES in Greece and Turkey.
Energy efficiency and hydrogen were the main topics of the fifth session of the event, chaired by Mr. Kostas Theophylaktos, Secretary General and President of the Energy Efficiency Committee of IENE. Drs. participated as speakers. Oguz Can, President of the Energy Efficiency Association of Turkey and CEO of Teksan Company, Dr. Füsun Tut Haklıdir, Director of Geothermal Research and Innovation Technologies of Zorlu Energy Group, Mr. Nikos Sofianos, Energy Consultant and Chairman of the RES Committee and Member of the Board of Directors of IENE, Dr. İskender Gokalp, on behalf of Marmara Research Center, State Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), and Dr. Nikolaos Koukouzas, Director of Research at the National Center for Research & Technological Development – EKETA (online).
The proceedings of the 1st “Greek – Turkish Energy Forum” concluded with an open discussion on forging closer business ties in the energy sector between Greece and Turkey, which was chaired by the President of IENE, Mr. Kostis Stambolis, and Dr. Mustafa Tiris, Vice President of DEİK Energy Council.
