Industrialists can produce approximately 10 percent of the electricity they use with waste heat

The largest portion of Turkey’s waste heat potential is made up of industry with 42 percent. Making a statement on March 18 Global Recycling Day, ESCON Energy CEO Onur Ünlü said that investments to be made in facilities using high temperatures, especially in the production of iron and steel, cement, ceramics and construction materials, can provide up to 10 percent of the facility’s electricity from waste heat.

According to the data published by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources in 2022, the largest portion of Turkey’s annual waste heat potential of 160 thousand terajoules (TJ) is made up of industry with 42 percent, followed by thermal power plants with 40 percent and commercial buildings with 18 percent. This potential, which will provide an emission reduction equivalent to removing 4 million passenger vehicles from traffic annually, also means that industrial establishments will produce a portion of their own electricity, contribute to the circular economy and take an important step in the green transformation process. Onur Ünlü, CEO of ESCON Energy, Turkey’s first and only global energy service company, provided information about electricity production from waste heat and industrial symbiosis over waste heat in a statement he made on the occasion of March 18 Global Recycling Day.

“Production is carried out completely by recycling without using resources”

Ünlü, who said that waste heat in production can be used for heating and cooling purposes with systems such as heat pumps or converted into electricity with ORC or steam turbines after being detected with a system called ‘pinch analysis’, said, “There is a great potential especially in facilities where high temperatures are used such as iron-steel, cement, ceramics, and construction materials production. With the investments to be made in these areas, it is possible to meet up to 10 percent of the facility’s electricity from waste heat. This can also be considered as a kind of renewable energy because clean energy is produced completely by recycling without using another source. Businesses that cannot make renewable energy investments due to not being able to find land or not having enough space in transformers can also consider this investment as an alternative. Moreover, since this energy is not affected by fluctuations in the lines, it can also be used at critical points in production,” he said.

“It provides advantages to sectors affected by SKDM and ETS”

Ünlü, who stated that electricity generation from waste heat both reduces costs and emissions, continued as follows; “Emission reduction is of great importance for sectors within the scope of the Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (SKDM). Similarly, sectors that will be affected by the Emission Trading System (ETS) can also benefit from their waste heat and gain advantages in this area, especially increasing their competitiveness in foreign markets.” Ünlü also drew attention to the fact that such investments made in the industry contribute to Turkey’s goal of reducing 100 million tons of emissions by 2030 by reducing energy consumption by 16 percent with energy efficiency alone.

“It pays for itself in 5 years, grants, support and EPS can be used”

Ünlü stated that the systems established to generate electricity from waste heat pay for themselves in a maximum of 5 years, and that there are grants and incentives for their installation, and said, “Businesses that want to generate electricity from waste heat can proceed in two ways. If they know their waste heat potential, they can create their files and apply to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources’ Efficiency Increasing Projects (VAP) or the Ministry of Industry and Technology’s Green Transformation Support Programs. The second alternative is to apply to an energy service company (ESCO). ESCOs analyze the business’ waste heat and determine its potential, creating the most suitable project. Then, they can undertake the entire financing process of the project within the scope of Energy Performance Contracts (EPS). Thus, industrial organizations can receive the project turnkey without touching even a penny of their working capital. As ESCON Energy, we are clearly the leader in the sector with the projects we have carried out within the scope of EPS.”

“Cooperation can be made for Green Organized Industrial Zones”

Ünlü, who also suggested that cooperation can be made between the managements of Organized Industrial Zones (OSB) and factories within the scope of the investment, said; “Factories supply their electricity from the OSBs they are located in. A factory that aims to generate electricity from waste heat can also ensure that this electricity is distributed within the OSB by cooperating with the OSB. Such cooperation will also increase the number of Green Organized Industrial Zones in our country.”

Ünlü, who said that another area where cooperation can be made within the OSB is industrial symbiosis, said, “In industrial symbiosis, which is the use of waste from one industry as raw material in another industry, the first things that come to mind are broken glass and broken marble. However, waste heat and waste water can also be evaluated within this scope. For example, a factory can generate waste heat but may not need hot water or steam inside. This factory can sell this hot water to another factory for a unit price. In this way, emissions “It reduces its energy consumption and provides profit. Since the other factory will not have to install a new system, it will also provide profit and reduce its emissions. Thus, it will contribute to resource efficiency and sustainability within the OIZ.”