Plenary Lecture

Application of Green Energy Technologies in
Developing Countries

Associate Professor Ugur Atikol
Energy Research Centre
Eastern Mediterranean University
Gazimagusa, North Cyprus, via. Mersin 10
Turkey
E-mail: ugur.atikol@emu.edu.tr

Abstract: Statistics and projections show that not only the rate of energy consumption, but also the carbon emissions of developing countries are rising very fast. The energy efficiency technologies that are available in the industrialized countries may not always be feasible for transfer to developing countries. Readily available economic and social indicators, supported by more detailed end-use research, can be used to determine which technologies are suitable for a given developing country. Case studies performed in Northern Cyprus and Turkey show that in Northern Cyprus, transfer of these technologies would be more successful in the residential and commercial sectors, whereas in Turkey, they would be more feasible for the industrial sector.
Green energy is a term used to describe sources of energy that are considered to be environmentally friendly and non-polluting, such as geothermal, wind, and solar power. The technologies associated with green energy need to be introduced in energy systems in order to achieve environmental sustainability. However, these technologies are usually expensive and government subsidies are needed for their implementation. In developing countries inefficiencies within the energy infrastructure, lack of awareness, planning and institutional formation constitute another dimension to the difficulties of implementation of such technologies. For example in Turkey the grid losses in the electric power system is 20% on average. In N. Cyprus 92% of the dwellings have very poor thermal envelopes and heat losses are 50-70% more than that of well insulated buildings. These losses would be even more precious if the use of green energy technologies is put into effect.
The objective of this paper is to introduce an algorithm of applying measures to facilitate the effective application of green energy technologies in developing countries. Firstly it is sought to minimize the wasteful use of energy and then propose mechanisms for the implementation of green energy technologies. It is recognized that energy efficiency applications at the demand-side of the power system are not very effective unless there are improvements in the power infrastructures of these countries. The rate of increase in the power capacity needs can be decreased in two steps: Firstly, the component associated with the old infrastructure is to be dealt with. In this category, the inefficient equipment related to the supply-side of the electrical system needs to be examined and programs for improvements should be devised. By this way, the rate of increase of power capacity should be reduced to the levels of that of GNP. Once the problems related to the infrastructure are minimized, the application of demand-side measures can be expected to reverse the order of the rising trends of power capacity and GNP. Consequently, The application of green energy technologies (such as solar and wind energy systems) is expected to create more impact and would be more meaningful.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Ugur Atikol is associate professor of Thermodynamics, Energy Management and Building Services at the Eastern Mediterranean University of Gazimagusa, N. Cyprus, where he has also the responsibility of directing the Energy Research Centre. He is a Certified Energy Auditor and has 20 years of experience in HVAC engineering. He took part as a resource efficiency expert in the USAID sponsored Resource Efficiency Achievement Project (REAP) for N. Cyprus between 2005 and 2007. His main research interests are Energy Efficiency, Energy Management and Solar Energy. In these fields, he authored or co-authored over 20 scientific papers published in reviewed journals or presented at international conferences. He wrote a chapter titled “Energy Efficiency: Developing Countries” in the Encyclopedia of Energy Engineering and Technology edited by Taylor & Francis. He was one of the co-founders of the Cyprus Chapter of Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) of which he was elected as the first president in 2006. One year later he took part in the foundation of the Energy Professionals Association (EPA) in northern Cyprus. He reviewed manuscripts in “Energy-the International Journal” and “Journal Scientia Agricola”.