US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6004

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006004 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR IIP AND OES:PCI AND S. POVENMIRE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ENRG, KPAO, SENV, TSPA, TSPL, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY/OES PD PROGRAM:  DOE EXPERT PROMOTES 
U.S.-TURKEY COOPERATION ON RENEWABLE ENERGY 
 
1.  Summary:  Under a grant from OES Public Diplomacy, the 
Ankara Regional Environmental Hub implemented a speakers' 
program on Renewable Energy in Turkey, October 11-15, with 
events in Istanbul, Ankara and Adana, in cooperation with the 
Ankara Public Affairs Section and the Adana Consulate.  The 
program featured Dr. Robert Dixon of the U.S. Department of 
Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and 
highlighted U.S. policy and technological leadership in 
renewable energy, raised awareness about Turkey's renewable 
energy potential and promoted bilateral scientific and 
commercial cooperation.   End Summary. 
 
Background 
---------- 
 
2.  Turkey has tremendous potential in renewable energy -- 
and it will need to exploit that potential.  Turkey is highly 
dependent on imported oil and natural gas, and Turkey's 
consumption of energy is expected to grow rapidly in line 
with strong economic and population growth.  Turkey is poised 
to begin negotiations to join the EU and will be faced with 
tougher environmental standards (including the Kyoto 
Protocol) forcing Turkey to reduce its usage of dirty energy 
sources such as coal and hydrocarbons to meet targets for 
greenhouse gas emissions.  The GOT expects Parliament to pass 
legislation to promote commercial development of renewable 
energy.  In addition, the World Bank is implementing a 
program to encourage investments in renewable energy. 
However, public support for renewable energy is small and 
government and private sector interest remains limited.  The 
Turkish government is eager to cooperate with the U.S. to 
promote renewable energy  in Turkey.  Energy Minister Guler 
is a strong advocate for the hydrogen economy, and officials 
at MENR have expressed their desire to cooperate in a number 
of areas, including:  wind and solar technology, hydropower 
projects and clean coal technology.  Dr. Dixon's visit served 
as a useful follow-up to the September 21 visit of Energy 
Secretary Abraham and also highlighted the commercial 
 
SIPDIS 
opportunities for U.S. companies in these fields. 
 
Istanbul 
---------- 
 
3.  The primary event in Istanbul was a Eurosolar (European 
Association for Renewable Energies) workshop convened at 
Marmara University, 12 October 2004, and organized by 
Professor Tanay Uyar, Eurosolar Turkey President and Vice 
President of the World Wind Energy Association.  Dr. Dixon 
was one of five speakers and offered two presentations:  U.S. 
Renewable Energy Activities, and, History and Current Status 
of Energy Efficiency Activities in the U.S.  Turkish speakers 
discussed the opportunities and obstacles for renewable 
energy in Turkey, focusing on Turkey's draft law to promote 
renewable energy, which they expected would spur wind power 
development but which provided inadequate incentives for 
other renewable energy sources. 
 
4.  While in Istanbul, Dr. Dixon and REO Kurt Donnelly met 
with UNIDO and Sabanci University officials regarding the 
establishment of the International Center for Hydrogen Energy 
Technologies, sponsored by UNIDO and the Turkish Ministry of 
Energy and Natural Resources.   Dixon reviewed U.S. hydrogen 
sector research, development and deployment activities, and 
briefed the Turkish officials on the International 
Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy. 
 
Ankara 
------ 
 
5.  The second segment of the public diplomacy mission was 
hosted by the Turkish-American Association, where more than 
50 officials from the Turkish energy community attended the 
13 October 2004 event.  Dr. Dixon offered a presentation 
entitled U.S. Renewable Energy Activities.  This was an 
excellent event and the presentation warmly received.   The 
question and answer session was lively and lengthy, and a 
number of new U.S.-Turkey energy technology working 
relationships were established and other relationships were 
advanced.  There was moderate press coverage of the Ankara 
event. 
 
6.  In Ankara Dr. Dixon, REO Donnelly and Econoff David Young 
met with Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources 
Deputy Under Secretary Selahattin Cimen.  Dixon extended an 
invitation to Cimen to visit Department of Energy 
laboratories and the California Fuel Cell Partnership in the 
near future.  Cimen said that the Turkish government 
recognized the importance of renewable energy for Turkey's 
development, adding that Turkey could save $3 billion per 
year with energy efficiency improvements.  Cimen explained 
that Turkey's parliament would soon pass a law to promote 
renewable energy and he thought there would be good 
opportunities for U.S. companies in this emerging sector.  He 
also revealed Turkey,s interest in joiningn the 
International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy.  Cimen 
said Turkey was eager to cooperate on a range of issues, 
including the hydrogen economy, renewable energy, hydropower, 
clean production and clean coal technologies, all potential 
deliverables under the US-Turkey Energy Technology 
Cooperation Agreement.  (Note:  The US-Turkey Energy 
Technology Cooperation Agreement was signed March 20, 2002, 
and provides a mechanism to expand and intensify cooperation 
in energy technology in the following areas:  efficient and 
advanced energy technologies, fossil and advanced power 
systems, new and renewable energy technologies, energy 
efficiency, energy information, basic energy research and 
other areas of energy cooperation.) 
 
Adana 
----- 
 
7.  The final segment of the public diplomacy mission was a 
renewable energy seminar organized by the Adana Consulate, 
Eurosolar and Cukurova University, 14 October, and attended 
by approximately 80 Turkish energy sector and business 
officials.  Dr. Dixon and two Turkish speakers presented a 
two-hour update on U.S. and Turkish renewable energy programs 
and activities.  The question and answer session following 
the presentations was excellent.   A number of new 
U.S.-Turkey energy technology cooperation relationships were 
established.  There were a considerable number of press at 
the Adana renewable energy event.  The Adana Consulate also 
organized an excellent tour of Cukurova University and their 
clean energy activities.   Turkey and the U.S. have existing 
energy technology cooperation at Cukurova university via the 
International Energy Agency and bilateral channels. 
 
Conclusion 
---------- 
 
8.  Dr. Dixon was an outstanding speaker.  His presentations 
demonstrated U.S. leadership in this environmentally-critical 
sector, provided an important follow-up to the September 21 
visit to Turkey of Energy Secretary Abraham, and laid the 
foundation for cooperation with the Turkish government and 
commercial opportunities for U.S. companies.  Just days after 
his program, Dr. Dixon reported that he and DOE colleagues 
had received numerous follow-up e-mails.  In addition, 
embassy has received several commercial inquiries.  The 
support of Embassy Ankara's Public Affairs Section was 
essential for the success of the program.  Our PA colleagues 
provided REO with advice and administrative support, 
including managing the grant.  The program was geared to the 
particular opportunities in each city.  In Istanbul, an 
international business and conference center, we focused on 
reaching the academic/scientific community.  In Ankara, the 
focus was on public policy, and in Adana we reached out to a 
broad business audience.  Dr. Dixon was warmly received by 
all Turkish officials; the atmosphere of cooperation was very 
friendly, and a number of existing of future areas of 
cooperation was identified on the margins of the public 
diplomacy mission.   This mission strongly advances OES 
public diplomacy goals, as well as fulfills milestones and 
goals of the U.S.-Turkey Energy Technology Cooperation 
Agreement.  Embassy Ankara encourages DOE officials to 
promptly build on Dixon,s successful mission and continue to 
fulfill terms of the Energy Technology Cooperation Agreement. 
 
EDELMAN