Our General Manager Serdar Marangoz in Nasıl Bir Ekonomi Newspaper.

Our General Manager Serdar Marangoz answered Vahap Munyar's questions in the Dialogue in the Business World column of Nasıl Bir Ekonomi Newspaper.

Our General Manager Serdar Marangoz shared important information about our company's past and future projects with Vahap Munyar in an interview.

On my way to meet with Serdar Marangoz, Vice Chairman and General Manager of Aydem Renewable Energy, I looked at the history of the group:

- Ceyhan Saldanlı and Ali Yağlı, business people from Denizli, founded Elsan Elektrik in 1980 in Denizli.

- In 1985, Tümaş Marble rolled up its sleeves to utilize the marble deposits in Denizli.

- In 1991, Aydem Energy was established, also in Denizli. The company was assigned to generate, transmit, distribute and trade electricity in Aydın, Denizli and Muğla.

- In 1995, Aydem Renewable Energy was established. Construction of Bereket Hydroelectric Power Plant, Turkey's first private HEPP, has begun.

- In 1997, electricity generation was commissioned at Bereket 1.

- In 1998, Bereket 2 HEPP started production.

Serdar Marangoz, who graduated from METU Electrical-Electronics, started working at Siemens in Germany and joined Aydem Energy in 2009, started the conversation by summarizing the current situation of the company he heads:

- Our 25 renewable energy power plants spread across Turkey have a total installed capacity of 1180 MW. Of these, 20 are HEPP, 3 are wind (WPP), 1 is geothermal and 1 is hybrid SPP. We produce clean energy in the Black Sea, Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean regions.

Mr. Marangoz, who started his career at Aydem Energy as the Electricity Market and Regulation Manager, served as Executive Board Member at ADM and GDZ Electricity Distribution companies, Aydem Energy Trade Group President, Aydem Retail and Gediz Retail board memberships and general manager, underlined the following feature of Aydem Energy in the sector:

- Except for the two hydroelectric power plants added to the portfolio through privatization, the construction, project development and implementation activities of all power plants were carried out with its own competencies and resources.

Serdar Marangoz stated that as Aydem Renewable Energy, they produce solutions with the power of technology against the negativities caused by climate change, from drought to the decrease in wind power, and that they make their 5-year investment plans accordingly:

- In this context, we started working to make our fields more efficient. In the first phase, we will replace our 1.5 MW turbines located in the most productive areas of the power plant in Uşak with new technology 6 MW turbines.

He noted that work is underway for the installation of 6 turbines of 6 MW in the area in question:

- The installation of these turbines will be completed this year. We will utilize the dismantled turbines in different, less windy areas. Thus, we will utilize the most efficient points in terms of wind at the highest capacity. New technologies can also increase profitability.

He pointed to an important advantage of using technology:

- We utilize high technology in the majority of maintenance work at the power plants and carry out preventive maintenance. In this way, we achieved an "availability" rate of 99.82 percent in 2023.

He reminded the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources' National Energy Plan for Turkey:

- The plan aims to increase the share of renewable energy in Turkey's installed capacity to 65 percent by 2035. We continue our sustainable investments to contribute to this goal.

I'm curious about the company's turnover, dollar basis:

- Our revenues are around 219 million dollars. EBITDA (Interestearnings before tax, depreciation, amortization and depreciation) was $141 million.

5 years ahead:

- We think that we will reach the level of times two in 5 years.

THIS YEAR IS 'FALLOW' BUT INVESTMENTS ARE MOVING FORWARD STEP BY STEP

General Manager Serdar Marangoz pointed out their investments from the 3rd quarter of 2021 until the end of 2023:

- Our investments during this period totaled 160 million dollars.

For 2024, he first used the following definition:

- This year, we are a bit "fallow" in terms of investment.

He then added:

- In 2024, our investment efforts continue uninterruptedly. This year's investments will focus more on increasing the efficiency of existing power plants.

HYBRID GES CAN GENERATE ENERGY WITH LIGHT REFLECTED FROM SNOW ON THE GROUND

Last year, they commissioned "Uşak Hybrid SPP", Turkey's leading hybrid solar power plant (SPP) with an installed capacity of 82.15 MW:

- In Uşak Hybrid SPP, which has a single axis tracking construction system that provides energy production in the most efficient way, 155 thousand panels with bidirectional energy production technology were used.

He noted that a mobile system that follows the sun has been installed:

- In the winter months, maximum production is achieved thanks to the panel technology that also generates energy with the light reflected from the snow on the ground. Compared to standard solar power plants, 20 percent more energy is produced.

Uşak also calculated the environmental impact of the energy produced in the Hybrid SPP:

- With the energy produced, 106 thousand 305 tons of CO2 emissions are reduced annually. This corresponds to the amount of emissions absorbed by 259 thousand red pine trees. This amount corresponds to a forest area the size of 224 football fields.

HYBRID POWER PLANT INVESTMENTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BY THE END OF 2025

Serdar Marangoz pointed out that the diversity of energy sources and systems that back up each other have gained importance:

- We are focusing on systems that back each other up. We focus on power plants that can generate energy from SPPs when the rain is scarce and from HEPPs when the sun is low, with panels to be installed on dams.

At this point, he touched upon the issue of "Floating SPPs":

- Permission has been issued for "Floating SPP". "Floating SPPs" can be installed on dams.  Solar panels placed on power plants with dams reduce evaporation and contribute to both renewable energy production and agricultural irrigation.

He then added:

- We will have "Terrestrial Hybrid SPP", "Floating Hybrid SPP" and "WPP capacity increases". We aim to implement hybrid power plant investments by the end of 2025.

He emphasized that storage systems have become more important with the increase in renewable production:

- Electricity is generated from various sources in our country, but more efficient use of the energy obtained from this production is possible with storage. Storage makes it possible to manage load increases and decreases throughout the day.

He noted that storage technologies will continue to be the important agenda of the industry:

- In addition, cyber security will become even more important in energy, as in every field. Countries will turn to their own energy sources.