The south-eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep is set to power most of its municipal buildings and infrastructure with renewable energy as part of its climate action. A vibrant, historical trade and cultural centre, the city has a population of more than 2 million people and is home to half a million Syrian refugees – the second-largest Syrian community in Turkey after Istanbul. The municipality is committed to a sustainable urban transformation that will benefit all residents. Last month it joined the EBRD’s flagship urban sustainability programme, Green Cities. As part of the cooperation, the EBRD is providing a 10-year EUR 10 million loan to finance the five grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) plants with a total installed capacity of 27 MW. The loan will be accompanied by a EUR 7 million grant from the Bank’s Shareholder Special Fund in a move to support the municipality whose population has seen rapid growth, in part due to an inflow of refugees from Syria. The solar PV plants will create significant savings in electricity bills, relieving pressure on the city’s budget. The project will also help avoid carbon emissions and intense use of water for electricity generation, particularly important in Turkey’s water-scarce south east. The municipality is also planning to involve young women in the project by providing internships and encouraging them to pursue careers in sustainable energy.
The south-eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep is set to power most of its municipal buildings and infrastructure with renewable energy as part of its climate action. A vibrant, historical trade and cultural centre, the city has a population of more than 2 million people and is home to half a million Syrian refugees – the second-largest Syrian community in Turkey after Istanbul. The municipality is committed to a sustainable urban transformation that will benefit all residents. Last month it joined the EBRD’s flagship urban sustainability programme, Green Cities. As part of the cooperation, the EBRD is providing a 10-year EUR 10 million loan to finance the five grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) plants with a total installed capacity of 27 MW. The loan will be accompanied by a EUR 7 million grant from the Bank’s Shareholder Special Fund in a move to support the municipality whose population has seen rapid growth, in part due to an inflow of refugees from Syria. The solar PV plants will create significant savings in electricity bills, relieving pressure on the city’s budget. The project will also help avoid carbon emissions and intense use of water for electricity generation, particularly important in Turkey’s water-scarce south east. The municipality is also planning to involve young women in the project by providing internships and encouraging them to pursue careers in sustainable energy.
