THE GLOBAL WINDOW OF TURKISH FOOD AND AGRICULTURE The Global Window of Turkish Food and Agriculture Sector
Related Articles
Since it does not need much water, the camelina plant, which is one of the most popular raw materials in biodiesel production, contributes to combating climate change and reducing fossil fuel consumption.
Mustafa Acar, Head of Energy Agriculture Research Center and Department of the Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), stated that Türkiye’s annual consumption of diesel oil is approximately 25 million cubic metres. Acar also said that there is an obligation to blend biodiesel at a rate of 5 per thousand into the diesel fuel sold in accordance with the legal regulation.
“This means that we have to produce approximately 120-125 thousand tonnes of biodiesel. The obtained biodiesel has to be supplied entirely from domestic raw materials,” Acar said.
Pointing out that there is already production to meet the need for biodiesel, Acar informed that among the sources produced biodiesel, there are contracted oilseed plants and some waste cooking oil.
Acar continued his words as follows:
“When we look at the world, the plant that produces the most biodiesel is rapeseed, popularly known as canola. More than 80 percent of the biodiesel produced in the world is supplied from rapeseed. Apart from that, different products such as safflower and recently camelina can be used. When we look at the usage rate of waste edible oils in our country, the potential is about 350 to 400 thousand tonnes. But when we look at the collected part of it, we see that about 10 percent, that is, only 35-40 thousand tonnes, can be collected.”
