Energy Efficiency Panel at ITU

Experts in the field of energy came together at the “Efficient Meetings: The Role of Energy Efficiency in Energy Transformation” panel organized by ITU Energy Institute with the Energy Efficiency Association on January 11.

Istanbul Technical University (ITU) continues its activities that prioritize social and economic improvement with the goal of transforming the future. Within the framework of this vision, ITU hosted a panel that aims to minimize losses in terms of increasing energy consumption, production quality and quantity in our country in 2023, which it declared the “Year of Sustainability”. The panel titled “Efficient Meetings: The Role of Energy Efficiency in Energy Transformation”, organized in cooperation with the Energy Efficiency Association, focused on raising public awareness and social contribution.

The panel, which featured prominent figures from ITU and the energy sector, was held on January 11, 2023 at the Süleyman Demirel Cultural Center in Ayazağa Campus. At the panel, scientists working in the field of energy, representatives of the public and private sectors and various non-governmental organizations addressed the audience.

The panel, organized through the partnership of ITU Energy Institute and Energy Efficiency Association (ENVER), started with the opening speech of ITU Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kumral. It continued with a session moderated by Energy Institute Director Prof. Dr. İlhan Kocaarslan.

At the panel, ITU faculty members Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu and Prof. Dr. Sermin Onaygil, Dr. Bilal Düzgün from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, ENVER Association Vice President Dr. Oğuz Can, Daikin CEO Hasan Önder and Architects and Engineers Group (MMG) Chairman Bülent Şen discussed the current situation and future vision on energy efficiency.

Call for “digital” cleaning

ITU Department of Chemical Engineering faculty member and Sustainable Consumption and Production Association (SPCA) Chair Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu shared recent data in her speech: “Currently, 53.6% of the world’s population uses the Internet. Internet-related energy consumption accounts for 3.7 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.” Prof. Dr. Karaosmanoğlu stated that this amount is too large to be ignored. Calling for the removal of unused applications and files from phones and computers, Prof. Dr. Karaosmanoğlu underlined that it is possible to significantly reduce the carbon footprint resulting from digital systems in this way: “The most domestic and renewable energy is energy used efficiently. Deleting digital data that takes up unnecessary space will increase the speed of the devices and reduce the current energy consumption.”

It is possible to reach the zero emission target with renewable energy and efficiency

Dr. Bilal Düzgün, Head of Planning and Audit Department at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, drew attention to the changing consumption habits after the pandemic. Dr. Düzgün reminded that energy consumption in places such as shopping malls decreased with the pandemic, while e-commerce-based consumption increased, and said, “If energy efficiency studies do not produce the desired results, the energy need will increase by 90 percent, not 30 percent, until 2050. Energy efficiency can be increased with habits that can spread throughout society. The world must combine energy efficiency with renewable energy efforts to achieve the zero emission target.”

The panel, in which solutions were presented on energy efficiency through energy transformation, was followed by a large audience, including students and the press. Different topics based on the latest scientific research and new trends in the field of energy were discussed.