Eastern Mediterranean University Energy Research Center (EMU-ENAR) Chair Prof. Dr. Uğur Atikol and EMU Faculty of Business and Economics, Economics Department academic staff member Prof. Dr. Vedat Yorucu participated as speakers in the "Efficiency in Natural Resources and Alternative Energy Solutions" workshop hosted by the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) and İstanbul Technical University, at the Grand Pasha Nicosia Hotel.
During the workshop, the subjects of hydrogen production with solar energy, carbon capture and synthesis gas production came to the fore. Prof. Dr. İbrahim Dinçer from Ontario Technical University and Prof. Dr. Adnan Midilli from Istanbul Technical University stated that Cyprus is very suitable for the application of these technologies and it has the potential to become an energy island.
In his presentation at the 6th session of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Yorucu explained the problems faced by the islands regarding maritime disputes and the decisions made in international courts regarding the islands, by giving examples. Afterwards, he provided examples from the Aegean Sea, also known as the sea of islands, in his speech and stated that the maximalist demands of Greece, violating Turkish rights in violation of international law, are incompatible with the maritime law. Prof. Dr. Yorucu went on to explain that as in the Meis (Kastellerizo) island, the Turkish Republic does not not have the authority to intervene in the continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean region.
During the discussion panel held at the end of the workshop, Prof. Dr. Yorucu touched upon the processes, political and legal debates regarding natural gas exploration in the Eastern Mediterranean. Prof. Dr. Atikol also pointed out that the transition to new technology clean energy applications will take time and explained what needs to be done to overcome this process successfully.
