Comparison of Employment Impacts of Renewable and Fossil Energy Based Electricity Sectors: The Case of Turkey

Year 2021, Volume: 24 Issue: 2, 421 - 439, 30.11.2021

Yahya Algül , Vedat Kaya

https://doi.org/10.29249/selcuksbmyd.969425

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Considering rapidly rising air pollution and unemployment problem in Turkey, renewable energy may be the most appropriate solution for both of the problems. While positive effect of renewable energy on the environement is widely acknowledged, there isn’t sufficient research about its effect on employment statistics. For this reason, in this study, the net employment benefit of the renewable-based electricity sector, against the fossil-based electricity sector, is investigated through Input-Output methodology. The estimation is done for both manufacturing/installation and operation/maintenance phases of solar, wind, hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal, coal, petrol, and natural gas-based electricity sectors, including all of the direct, indirect, and induced effects. According to the estimation results of both approaches and both of the phases, renewable-based electricity sectors are more effective than fossil-based electricity sectors in terms of employment generation. Therefore, besides its claimed benefits in terms of environment, the renewable energy sector may be a major instrument in the sustainable development efforts in Turkey, considering its employment benefits too.

Keywords

Sustainable Development, Input-Output, Renewable Energy, Green Employment

Yenilenebilir ve Fosil Enerjiye Dayalı Elektrik Sektörlerinin İstihdam Etkilerinin Karşılaştırılması: Türkiye Örneği

Abstract

ÖZ
Türkiye'de hızla artan çevre kirliliği ve işsizlik sorunları göz önüne alındığında, yenilenebilir enerji her iki sorunla eşanlı mücadele bağlamında en uygun çözüm olabilir. Yenilenebilir enerjinin çevre üzerindeki pozitif etkisi noktasında yaygın bir uzlaşı bulunmasına rağmen, istihdam etkisi yeterince araştırılmamıştır. Bu doğrultuda çalışmamızda, yenilenebilir enerjiye dayalı elektrik sektörünün fosil bazlı elektrik sektörüne kıyasla net istihdam etkisi Girdi-Çıktı metodolojisi ile incelenmiştir. Analiz, güneş, rüzgar, hidroelektrik, biyoenerji, jeotermal, kömür, petrol ve doğal gaza dayalı elektrik sektörlerinin hem üretim/kurulum hem de işletme/bakım aşamaları için doğrudan, dolaylı ve uyarılmış etkilerinin tümünü içermektedir. Her iki yaklaşımın ve her iki aşamanın tahmin sonuçlarına göre, yenilenebilir enerjiye dayalı elektrik sektörlerinin, istihdam yaratma açısından fosil bazlı elektrik sektörlerine göre daha etkili olabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır. Bu nedenle, yenilenebilir enerji sektörü çevre açısından iddia edilen faydalarının yanı sıra, istihdam faydaları da dikkate alındığında Türkiye'deki sürdürülebilir kalkınma çabalarında önemli bir araç olabilir.

Keywords

Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma, Girdi-Çıktı, Yenilenebilir Enerji, Yeşil İstihdam

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