Coal is a major contributor to
air pollution, and damages
health across the nation, being burnt even in homes and cities.[3] It is estimated that a phase out of
coal power in Turkey by 2030 instead of by the 2050s would save over 100 thousand lives.[4] Flue gas emission limits are in place, but data from mandatory reporting is not made public.
Over 90% of coal mined in Turkey is
lignite (brown coal),[1] which is more polluting than other types of coal.[5]Turkey's energy policy encourages mining lignite for
coal-fired power stations in order to reduce
gas imports;[2] and coal supplies over 40% of domestic energy production.[6] Mining peaked in 2018, at over 100 million tonnes,[7] declined considerably in 2019,[8] but increased again in 2022.[9] Most coal is imported,[10][11]as in contrast to local lignite production, Turkey imports most of its
bituminous coal from
Russia.[12] Coal consumption probably peaked in 2022.[9] The largest coalfield in Turkey is
Elbistan.[13]
In 1848 the Ereğli Coal Basin (now called the
Zonguldak Basin) was mapped and claimed by
Sultan Abdulmejid I, who later leased it, mainly to foreign merchants.[15] The first customer of Turkey's coal industry was the
Ottoman Navy. However, during the
Crimean War in the mid-1850s, production was commandeered by the Ottoman Empire's allies, the
British Royal Navy,[15] and production increased by importing mining machinery and training Turkish miners.[16] By 1875 the Ottoman Navy had become the third largest in the world and expansion of the mines attracted workers from outside the area, despite the dangerous conditions.[17]
The mines in Zonguldak were shelled by Russia during
World War I (WW1) to disrupt coal supply to Ottoman and German ships.[18] The first
coal-fired power station in Turkey,
Silahtarağa Power Station (now
SantralIstanbul culture center) opened in 1914, and after the destruction of the empire in WW1, and the subsequent
Turkish War of Independence, the new Republic of Turkey
industrialized further as part of Atatürk's reforms.
Lignite from
Soma supplied the army in WW1[15] and lignite mining began at several other coalfields in 1927.[19] The Zonguldak coalfield remains the only national source of the hard coal[note 1] which was historically necessary for steelmaking: its mines were
nationalized in 1940.[22] In the mid-20th century the state encouraged the growth of
cement[15] and
steelmaking in Zonguldak. The first large coal-fired power stations were built in the late 1950s in two large lignite basins, Soma and Tuncbilek,[23] and in the late 20th century many power stations were constructed near lignite fields such as
Elbistan coalfield.
In the early 21st century there was a growing realization of the damage done by coal to public health. However, the Turkish government wished to avoid importing too much natural gas, which is a large part of the import bill, with supply dominated by
Russia.[24] The nascent
environmental movement in Turkey was unable to prevent many more coal-fired power stations being built, but did stop some.[25] After years of struggle by environmentalists standards, such as for
flue-gas desulfurization, were finally improved at the end of the 2010s.[26] As for steelmaking, most plants are now
electric arc furnaces.[27]
Residential heating and cooking
Starting in the 19th century,
stoves took the place of
wood burning ovens in traditional Anatolian houses. For heating, every room had a stove with a stovepipe or
chimney. After the late 1970s,
coke was reserved for use in institutions such as
schools, and the more polluting but cheaper coal was supplied to households. Imports of natural gas started in the late 1980s[28] and by the 2020s the pipeline distribution network had been extended to over 80% of the population.[29] However, due to
energy poverty, some of those people still use coal[30] and the resulting air pollution causes illness and premature deaths.[31] Most buildings constructed since the late 20th century have gas heating, not coal.
In the 2020s, in some provinces coal is still used for heating including public buildings,[32] especially in rural areas, and even occasionally for cooking,[33] although electricity and bottled gas are available everywhere. In 2019 TKI gave one and a half million tonnes of free coal[34] (mostly from
Alpagut Dodurga coal mine) to households with an average per person income less than one third of the minimum wage (less than 700 lira in 2020), even in neighborhoods which have piped gas.[35] In winter 22/23 TKI distributed coal to schools and other educational institutions: this coal has to meet certain indoor heating air pollution limits.[36][37] Indoor concentration of
particulates is highest in the winter.[38] Over three quarters of
carbon monoxide deaths are due to stoves: almost 200 in 2017 mostly in poorer rural areas.[39]
As of 2017[update] Turkey was 11th in the
list of countries by coal production, and mined 1.3% of the world's coal, with lignite and
sub-bituminous deposits widespread throughout the country.[40] Due to
the country's geology, there is no hard coal, which has a higher energy density (over 7,250 kcal/kg), within 1000 m of the surface.[41][42] All coal deposits are owned by the state but over half of mining is done by the private sector.[40] In 2017 almost half of Turkey's coal production was mined by the state-owned mines, but the government is seeking an expansion of privatization.[43] As of 2019, there are 436
coal mining companies such as
Akçelik,[44] 740 coal mines,[45] and more mining and exploration licences are being tendered.[46] However, some drilling companies are not bidding for licences because mineral exploration is more profitable and in 2018 many mining licences were combined with coal licenses.[47] Mining is documented in the "e-maden" computer system ("maden" means "mine" in Turkish).[48] Coal miners do not have the right to
strike.[49] A company called Tarhan Maden has proposed a mine in the district of
Tavşanlı in Kütahya Province.[50] Unions have complained of mines they say are unsafe, such as
Kınık coal mine.[51]
Hard coal
The Zonguldak basin in the northwest is the only coal mining region in Turkey that produces hard coal: about 2 million tons a year[8] from mines including
Kandilli,
Amasra,
Karadon,
Kozlu and
Üzülmez.[52] Compared to other countries, the
energy value of the coal is low, at 6,200 kilocalories per kilogram (2,800 kcal/lb) to 7,250 kcal/kg (3,290 kcal/lb).[2] Up to 72.5% is organic carbon.[53] 10 to 15% is
coal ash, 4 to 14% moisture, and 0.8 to 1%
sulfur.[54] Although low grade it is generally of cokeable or semi-cokeable quality.[55][52] Because there is so much
faulting and
folding, mining in the region is very difficult.[41]Long-wall mining is necessary due to the
tectonic structure of the
seams.[42]
Lignite
Turkey is one of the countries which mines the most lignite.[56] The most significant deposits of lignite were laid down in the
geological Neogene period.[57] Almost half of the country's lignite reserves are in the Afşin–Elbistan basin.[2] Lignite coalfields include Elbistan, Kutahya Tavsanlı, Inez,
Manisa, İnağzı-Bağlık and
Gediz,[58][52] and 90% of lignite production is from
surface mines.[40] Locations of major individual lignite mines include
Tunçbilek in
Tavşanlı,
Yatağan near the southern
Aegean Sea,
Yeniköy in
Muğla and
Seyitömer in
Kütahya; and there is a
gilsonite mine in
Silopi.[52] Turkish lignite has high carbon,[note 2] sulphur, ash, moisture and
volatile components.
[55][52] Its
calorific value is less than 12.5 MJ/kg – and that from Afsin Elbistan has less than 5 MJ/kg, which is a quarter of typical thermal coal.[60] Opencast mining of lignite can destroy
forest land, as although soil must be stored by law, it can degrade before reforestation.[61] In 2023 a proposed rule allowing removal of
olive trees was retracted.[62]
Mining technology
Exploration and research is done by the
General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration.[63] In the 2010s coal mining technology from China was imported.[64] But according to energy analyst Haluk Direskeneli coal power plant technology which has been imported is unsuitable for Turkish coal, so
refractory distortions are occurring, and
control systems and other equipment is failing. He says that
circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology is unsuitable because Turkish lignite does not burn continuously in the CFB combustion chamber without supplementary liquid fuel. In Direskeneli's opinion "local coal enters the combustion chamber as ice in winter and as mud in summer", so the water content of domestic coal should be reduced by preheating.[65]
As of 2018[update], environmental regulations for coal mines still lag behind international standards despite improvements.[66] As of 2019[update] an expansion of coal washing capacity was planned together with research on
coal pollution mitigation and lignite
gasification.[67] According to the Eleventh Development Plan (2019-2023): "In order to reduce the import dependence and current accounts deficit in energy, exploration, generation and R & D activities will be increased for high potential domestic resources such as geothermal and shale gas, especially lignite."[68]
Health and safety
The Istanbul Policy Center estimates that every year in Turkey, the mining and burning of coal causes at least 2,800 premature deaths, 637,000 working days to be lost, and 3.6 billion euros in additional costs. Although there are some concerns about ground[69][note 3] and water[71] pollution, most coal-related deaths are caused by worsening
air pollution in Turkey.[5]
Workers' health and safety
After the deaths of over 300 people in the
Soma mine disaster in 2014,[72] new health and safety regulations were introduced. As of 2018[update], most mining accidents happen in coal mines but the reasons for Turkey's poor mining safety are not entirely clear.[73] According to a 2022 study the small number of workers in
trade unions and the widespread use of
subcontractors contribute to poor working conditions.[74]: 162
Coal contributes to air pollution in big cities.[82] The
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) says that residential heating is emitting dangerous levels of fine particulates: so it recommends reducing particulate emissions by not using coal.[83]
The amount of coal consumed in 2017 was more than a quarter higher than the amount in 2012, but coal made up about 30% of Turkey's primary energy in both years.[87] In 2018, 80% of coal was used to generate power by
coal-fired power stations in Turkey, 14% was used by industry, and 6% by buildings.[88] In absolute numbers for 2018, 13
Mtoe of hard coal were used to generate electricity and heat; 4 Mtoe, in coke ovens; 2 Mtoe, for home heating; 2 Mtoe, in cement manufacture; and 1 Mtoe was used for iron and steel.[89] In 2018, 12 Mtoe of lignite were used to generate electricity and heat, 2 Mtoe in industry, and 1 Mtoe was used for home heating.[89] Lignite fired power stations did not become more productive between 2009 and 2018,[90] but three-quarters by weight of coal burnt in Turkish power stations is lignite.[91] Demand and price of coal increased in 2022 due to the
European energy crisis.[9] In 2022 14% of household final energy was coal.[92]
Air pollution from
coal-fired power stations is damaging public health,[95]: 48 and it is estimated that a
coal phase-out by 2030 instead of by the 2050s would save over 100,000 lives.[96]Flue gas emission limits were improved in 2020, but data from mandatory reporting of emission levels is not made public. Turkey has not ratified the
Gothenburg Protocol, which limits fine dust polluting other countries.
Turkey's coal is almost all low calorie
lignite, but government policy supports its continued use. In contrast,
Germany is closing lignite-fired stations under 150 MW.[97]Drought in Turkey is frequent, but
thermal power stations use significant amounts of water.[98]
Coal-fired power stations are the largest source of
greenhouse gas, at about a tonne each year per person, which is about the world average.[99] Coal-fired stations emit over 1 kg of
carbon dioxide for every kilowatt hour generated,[100] over twice that of
gas power. Academics suggest that in order to reach Turkey's target of
carbon neutrality by 2053, coal power should be phased out by the mid-2030s.[101] In January 2023 the National Energy Plan was published: it forecast a capacity increase to 24.3 GW by 2035,[102]: 23 including 1.7 GW more by 2030.[102]: 15 However by 2024 it was obvious that no new coal power stations would be built.[103]: 11 The national plan forecasts coal generation decreasing but capacity payments continuing for flexible and baseload power.[102]: 25 In 2024 Turkey is expected to burn more coal than any other European country.[104]
As a signatory of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (Aichi Target 3), Turkey committed to phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies, including
those to fossil fuels, by 2020.[110] However, coal remained the most subsidized source of electricity in Turkey.[111] By 2020, according to
Carbon Tracker, both new wind and solar power were cheaper than building new coal power plants; and they forecast that wind would become cheaper than existing coal plants in 2027, and solar in 2023.[112] Lignite-fired power stations receive multiple subsidies for construction[113][note 5] and operation.[114] Specific subsidy programs include
value-added tax waivers, offsetting investment costs and tax reductions.[115] There is a guaranteed purchase price per MWh.[116]
Turkey's government support to coal and coal-fired power production and consumption ₺ millions, 2016–2017 annual average [110]
Instrument
Coal production
Coal-fired power
Coal consumption
Fiscal support (budgetary transfers and tax exemptions)
In 2019, the Turkish government passed a bill to subsidize coal mining with multiple economic incentives.[117] The
Turkey Wealth Fund continued supporting coal into the 2020s.[118] The price of electricity generated from domestic coal is adjusted according to the
consumer price index, the
producer price index and the dollar exchange rate, and paid by the
state-owned electricity company to private-sector power plants.[119]
Several companies have acquired mining rights for hard coal fields: Erdemir Madencilik, a subsidiary of Turkey's autonomous military pension program;
Oyak; Tumas, a subsidiary of Bereket Holding, and energy company Emsa Enerji.[58] In 2019 private companies paid over 20 million lira royalties to TTK.[120] Lignite fields have been transferred to Imbat Madencilik, Fernas Holding, Demir Export and construction group Yapi Tek.[42]Eren Holding holds the largest amount of coal-fired generation capacity, 2,790 megawatts,[121] at the ZETES power complex in Zonguldak. Several companies hold more than a gigawatt of coal power capacity:
IC Içtaş Enerji, the state-owned EÜAŞ; Konya Şeker, a company owned by
Anadolu Birlik Holding; ERG Elektrik;
Diler Holding;
Çelikler Holding and
Ciner Holding.[122] However, mining licence information that is held by the government in the "e-maden" database is not released to the public.[123]
In the late 2010s, the government attempted to auction mine licenses to private companies provided that they would build nearby power plants,[42] but the auctions attracted little interest[124] as the currency weakened.[125] And although lignite is more polluting than most other types of coal, the government tried to persuade other coal-fired power stations to convert to lignite to reduce import costs.[126] The
2018 Turkish currency crisis and
COVID-19 recession increased costs for mining companies and increased the difficulty of obtaining bank credits, threatening the coal industry.[127][128]
Imported coal generates about a quarter of the nation's electricity.[133] Most thermal coal imports are from
Russia because the price is discounted.[134] A
customs union deal with the EU includes bilateral trade concessions on coal.[135]
About half of
coking coal imports are from Australia and a quarter from the US,[136] and in 2019 met coke was imported from Russia and China.[137] There is a 5% import tariff on US coking coal.[138] The main ports for import of met coal are Eregli, Zonguldak and
Iskenderun.[138] As of 2018[update] if the import price of thermal coal is less than 70 US$/tonne (
fob) the state charges the difference as import duty.[63]: 31 In 2020 coking coal cost around US$130/tonne.[139]Anthracite coal from
Donbas, a region in Ukraine, is exported (allegedly illegally) to Turkey.[140][141] The anthracite is transported through the Russian ports of
Azov and
Taganrog to the Turkish city of
Samsun.[142] Some analysts say that coal which was formerly exported to the EU but is now sanctioned is instead being bought by Turkey,[143] and that as of end-2022 Turkey is the largest buyer of Russian coal.[144]
Politics
According to a 2022 study the
Presidency of Strategy and Budget and the Turkey Wealth Fund have the most influence on coal policy and investment decisions, but some say that the wealth fund lacks public scrutiny.[74]: 157 The study concluded that increasing
energy security and thus
national security by limiting imports was the main
energy policy aim.[74]: 159 As of 2020[update], Zafer Sönmez, the CEO of the wealth fund, wants to invest in coal:[145] coal power is part of the national energy strategy[146] but the private sector will not invest in it without substantial government support. According to Ümit Şahin, who teaches climate change at
Sabancı University, Turkey is not facing up to the reality that most coal will have to be left in the ground and risks losing access to international
climate finance if the country does not quickly schedule an exit from coal.[147]
Many local communities strongly oppose coal power stations[148] and mines,[149] sometimes taking legal action against them.[150] From the late 2000s, residents of Amasra strongly fought against the establishment of a coal-fired power station near the city; it was cancelled.[151] In
Alpu district, locals of the region won a court battle in 2018 to prevent the building of a new coal mine; the 14th chamber of the
Council of State ruled that the mine could only be built with an environmental report.[152] Turkish activists have also taken their campaign to international conferences.[153] Nevertheless, in 2019 only 36 of the 600 members of
parliament voted to reduce power plant emission limits.[154] In 2021 inhabitant of İkizköy village continue to protest and filed a lawsuit: they claim that a permit to cut down
Akbelen Forest to expand a lignite mine should not have been granted without an environmental impact assessment.[155] The company (part owned by
Limak Holding) says that Akbelen was allocated to the coal mine when the
Kemerköy and Yeniköy power plants were built, and that the
General Directorate of Forestry defined it as an "industrial plantation area for 2019".[156]
The UN[161] and youth activists have called for a 2030 end date,[162] but as of 2023[update] there is no plan to reduce coal use.[163] The
World Bank has proposed general objectives and estimated the cost, but has suggested government do far more detailed planning.[164]
A 2020 study of coal-fired residential heating in Turkey's 3rd largest city
İzmir estimated the cost of replacing it versus the reduction in illness and premature deaths.[31] Five old plants (
Afşin-Elbistan A, Seyitömer, Tunçbilek,
Kangal and Çatalağzı) were closed in 2020 because they did not meet new pollution limits[165] but were all restarted later in the year.[166] The country is the world's ninth-largest consumer of coal, similar to Poland.[167] In contrast during the early 21st century German energy from coal fell from 6x that of Turkey to below Turkey.[168] In terms of energy resources, Spain is more similar, having hydropower and abundant sunshine, and its transition away from coal could also be a model.[169] Turkish industry has experience converting coal to solar outside the country.[170] Companies which get much of their revenue from coal (such as Elgin Emtia and İmbat with over 90%) are on the
Urgewald Global Coal Exit List.[171]
Employment
Historically some agricultural workers moved to coal with the expropriation of agricultural land for the coal industry.[74]: 162 By the end of 2017, the renewable energy industry employed 84,000 people,[172] whereas coal mining employed 10,000 in 13 public-sector workplaces and 26,000 in 430 private-sector workplaces.[173] In 2019, the minimum wage for coal miners was twice the standard minimum wage.[174]
Due to the complex geology of the Zonguldak basin, hard coal production in Turkey is insignificant, heavily subsidised and labour-intensive.[54] However, Zonguldak Province is highly dependent on coal.[175] By 2021 the number of people working in hard coal mines had dropped to 7,000: many people of working age had moved to Istanbul, and the population had decreased, leaving more pensioners than working people in the province.[176] Despite this, as of 2020[update], Turkey had not implemented a
just transition policy,[177] although the government spoke in favor of it in 2015[87] and it is supported by the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development[178] and environmental organisations such as
Greenpeace.[179]
^Taşkömür (literally stone coal) in Turkish means "hard coal". On Wikipedia,
hard coal redirects to "anthracite". However total organic carbon of Turkish coal is up to 72.5%,[20] whereas anthracite has over 86%.[21] Therefore Turkey has no anthracite and the use of the phrase "hard coal" for coal mined in Turkey does not mean anthracite.
^The
net calorific value of Turkish lignite is lower than that of typical lignite,[59] varying by power station; its average is about 2,800
^Fly ash, a byproduct of the coal refining process, is often sold to cement factories as a raw material.[5] Concentrations of natural
radionuclides vary depending on the power station and the product may be safe in building materials depending on the amount used.[70]
^The table on page iii of the 2022 EMRA report totals 15 + 23 + 14 = 52 coal power licences - but as ZETES 1 2 and 3 have the same licence if counted as separate power stations the total would be 54, which matches the total on the Turkish version of the Wikipedia list.[94]: iii
^"Metals" described in the 4-b group of Article 2 of the current Mining Law No. 3213 include lignite thus lignite-fired power plants can receive region 5 subsidies regardless of their actual location in Turkey.
^Şengül, H. Tarık; Aytekin, E. Attila (2012), Kirk, John; Contrepois, Sylvie; Jefferys, Steve (eds.), "Zonguldak Coalfield and the Past and Future of Turkish Coal-mining Communities", Changing Work and Community Identities in European Regions: Perspectives on the Past and Present, Identity Studies in the Social Sciences, Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 154–183,
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^Rogan, Eugene. The fall of the Ottomans.
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^Ozden, Banu; Güler, Erkan; Vaasma, Taavi; Horváth, Mária; Kiisk, Madis; Kovács, Tibor (August 2018). "Enrichment of naturally occurring radionuclides and trace elements in Yatagan and Yenikoy coal-fired thermal power plants, Turkey". Journal of Environmental Radioactivity. 188: 100–107.
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10.1016/j.jenvrad.2017.09.016.
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^Dursun, Arif Emre (14 July 2020). "Statistical analysis of methane explosions in Turkey's underground coal mines and some recommendations for the prevention of these accidents: 2010–2017". Natural Hazards. 104: 329–351.
doi:
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S2CID220506873.
^ERBOY, Fatma.
"Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis"(PDF). Zonguldak Kara Elmas Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi, Göğüs Hastalıkları Ana Bilim Dalı, Zonguldak.
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^Kasap, Yaşar; Şensöğüt, Cem; Ören, Özer (1 March 2020). "Efficiency change of coal used for energy production in Turkey". Resources Policy. 65: 101577.
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^"Kömür yerli ama ödemesi dolarla" [The coal is local but payment is in dollars]. Sözcü. 5 February 2019.
Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
^"Türkiye'nin kömür aşkı bitmiyor" [Turkey's love of coal never ends]. www.sozcu.com.tr (in Turkish). 7 February 2020.
Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
^Siccardi, Francesco.
"Will Green Activism Save Turkey's Democracy?". Carnegie Europe. Retrieved 7 July 2022. the Ministry of Interior made an active decision not to approve the party's registration—a prerequisite for it to operate in Turkey
Difiglio, Prof. Carmine; Güray, Bora Şekip; Merdan, Ersin (November 2020).
Turkey Energy Outlook. iicec.sabanciuniv.edu (Report). Sabanci University Istanbul International Center for Energy and Climate (IICEC).
ISBN978-605-70031-9-5.