The Ağaoğlu Group, a Turkish firm with investments in wind energy facilities and residential projects, is launching a 200 million Turkish Lira wind power plant project in Bandırma, in Turkey’s northwestern province of Balıkesir.
The Şah wind power plant, which will generate 93 Megawatts, will provide electricity for nearly 130,000 Bandırma residents. Speaking during a press conference Tuesday, Ali Ağaoğlu, board chairman of the Ağaoğlu Group, said the Şah wind plant, which is forecast to be operational by December this year, would supply nearly 10 percent of Turkey’s wind energy.
The company aims to become one of the top 10 energy-generating companies in the private sector in terms of installed capacity by 2015, according to Ağaoğlu. Turkey’s energy consumption totals $50 billion each year, Ağaoğlu said, adding that the country depends on foreign sources for 75 percent of its energy needs.
Speaking during the press meeting, Murat Onuk, head of the Ağaoğlu Energy Group, said the single way for Turkey to attain sustainable development is to utilize its own resources. Noting that the company intends to create an investment portfolio with a volume of 1,000 MW in the next three years, Onuk said they currently have a total capacity of 665 MW.
“The Şah wind plant, which we will construct with a 200-million-lira investment, is expected to generate 332 million kWh electricity,” Onuk said. “This means that the Şah wind plant will generate electricity for nearly 130,000 people living in Bandırma.”
With this project, Ağaoğlu will increase the country’s current 1,000 MW installed wind energy capacity by nearly 10 percent, according to Akbank Deputy Chairman Ferda Besli. Akbank provided 62.7 million euros in loans for the project.
“Even though Turkey has 40,000 MW potential in wind energy, the country has still only 1,000 MW of installed capacity,” said Ali Neyzi, head of Turkey and the Middle East for Vestas, which will provide wind turbines for the Şah plant.
The company first started to invest in the energy sector with a wind power plant in Mersin, which it began to construct in March. The Ağaoğlu Group decided to invest in the energy sector 1.5 years ago, Ağaoğlu said.
‘Hydroelectric plants are harmless’
During the press conference about the Şah wind plant, Ağaoğlu said the group would be more active in the renewable energy sector, including wind and hydroelectric energy projects.
Responding to a question on hydroelectric power plants, Ağaoğlu said the Turkish public has an unconscious reaction against hydroelectric power. “Hydroelectric and wind power plants are the main two energy investments that cause the least damage to the environment all over the world,” said Ağaoğlu.
“We should switch to energy sources such as solar energy to prevent more carbon dioxide consumption,” Ağaoğlu said. “The reactions against hydroelectric power plants are knee-jerk. A few trees can be cut down, if another 10 trees are planted after,” he said.
