Energy And Sustainability Conference in Azerbaijan in Cooperation with Boğaziçi University

Boğaziçi University continues to contribute to the world of science with national and international organizations that it organizes and participates in as a stakeholder. Recently, within this framework, the 3rd Eurasian Energy and Sustainability Conference was held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, from November 24 to 26, with the participation of about 500 participants from 10 countries, organized by Boğaziçi University and Azerbaijan Technical University (AZTU).

At the conference, titled "The Dynamic Energy Landscape in Eurasia: Global Treats to Energy Security, Regional Challenges and Opportunities", "Oil and gas-producing countries in the Caspian basin and Central Asia region which suffer from volatile global energy prices, efficient use of investment and innovative opportunities in the energy sector by these countries which play an important role in Europe's energy, issues such as the effective use of investment and innovative opportunities in the energy sector, problems related to the rational use and effective management of these energy resources and the formation of a regional energy market" were discussed.

Vice rectors and faculty members of the two universities participated in the panels of the conference, which was co-chaired by the rector of Boğaziçi University, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci, and the rector of Azerbaijan Technical University, Prof. Dr. Vilayat Valiyev.

"AS BOĞAZİÇİ UNIVERSITY, ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY IS ONE OF OUR PRIORITISED AREAS"

In an online presentation at the opening of the conference, Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Naci İnci expressed his great pleasure in sharing knowledge and expertise with colleagues in the region. İnci emphasized that the conference fits very well with Boğaziçi University's focus areas, "Energy and sustainability are one of our focus areas as Boğaziçi University. We have developed national energy modeling systems to analyze the economic impacts of different energy and climate policy options and set emission reduction targets. We have developed the first carbon-negative integrated biorefinery in Türkiye and Europe, and we produce biofuels at our Kilyos Sarıtepe campus, which is self-sustaining through on-campus wind power generation."

"THIS CONFERENCE IS ONE OF THE TANGIBLE RESULTS OF THE COOPERATION THAT STARTED LAST YEAR"

Rector İnci said the conference provides a unique platform for the development of regional energy and sustainability cooperation, "I am very happy to be the co-chair of this international organization that facilitates the spread of energy and sustainability synergy between one nation, two states, Azerbaijan and Türkiye, to the wider Eurasian region. As the new administration of Boğaziçi University, we attach great importance to this region. Last year, as the rector of Boğaziçi University, I made my first trip abroad to Baku, and subsequently many cooperation agreements were signed with Azerbaijani universities, including Azerbaijan Technical University. This conference is one of the tangible results of the cooperation started last year."

"WE WANT TO ACTIVATE TÜRKİYE-AZERBAIJAN COOPERATION ON THE BASIS OF ONE NATION, TWO STATE SYNERGY"

At the panel titled "Energy Security: International Energy Outlook and Its Effects on the Eurasian Region," which he moderated as a representative of Boğaziçi University, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Gürkan Selçuk Kumbaroğlu pointed out in his presentation the energy supply and demand forecasts, which are significantly different from the previous year's forecasts with the latest revision of the International Energy Agency.

After the session, which discussed future expectations and strategies in light of climate change and the Russian-Ukrainian war, Kumbaroğlu emphasized Türkiye's vision of a natural gas trading center. When I asked the panellists for their thoughts on this issue, they sincerely expressed their support and stated that they would not spare their contributions. We have seen the synergy between one nation and two states, which is the driving force in the relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan. Our conference, which we organized to make this synergy effective, to evaluate the steps to be taken in regional cooperation and to make scientific contributions, has served its purpose."

Dr. Mustafa Metin Başbay, lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences and advisor to the rector, chaired the session titled "Geopolitical Impacts on the Energy Sector in Eurasia: Demand vs. Supply Dilemma" at the conference. The session, attended by researchers from several countries, included presentations on the geopolitical implications of the transition to renewable energy. In his presentation, Başbay mentioned that the transformation in energy infrastructure will bring fundamental changes not only in the environment and the economy, but also in the international balance of power, and he analyzed the winners and losers of the renewable energy revolution.