The Association of Natural Gas Appliance Manufacturers and Businessmen (DOSİDER) celebrated its 30th anniversary at a summit held in Istanbul on December 7th. Representing 95% of the heating systems sector in Turkey with its 30 members, DOSİDER shared its new strategy document titled “Future Vision, Strategy, and Action Plan” with the public at the summit. Taking into account developments in climate and energy crises, DOSİDER’s new vision shapes the future strategy of the association around renewable and clean energies, in addition to natural gas.

President of DOSİDER, Ekrem Erkut, stated, “In the last 10 years, we have experienced the hottest 8 years in world history, with over 100 flood cases occurring in our country every year. Recent forest fires are 8 times higher than the 12-year average. 80% of the world’s primary energy sources consist of fossil fuels. Issues like greenhouse gas effects are heavily on the agenda of developed countries. Many agreements are being made globally to not exceed a 1.5-degree increase in global temperature. The consequences of the climate and energy crisis are severe. We are closely following national and international projects for ‘Environmentally Friendly Healthy Climate Solutions’ with our members. However, a rapid abandonment of natural gas, among other things, is not on the agenda in this transition. Products and services for hybrid solutions will continue to be offered increasingly.”

On December 7, 2023, in Istanbul, Turkey, DOSİDER celebrated its 30th founding anniversary. In addition to members of the heating systems sector, the 30th-year meeting hosted by DOSİDER President Ekrem Erkut was attended by Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Nevzat Şatıroğlu, Director-General of the Ministry of Trade Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance Avni Dilber, GAZBİR President Yaşar Arslan, and other industry stakeholders. In his opening speech at the 30th-year meeting, DOSİDER President Ekrem Erkut stated that the association, founded in 1993, has been active in ensuring the safe and efficient use of natural gas appliances, achieving user satisfaction, and contributing to the development of the sector. He noted that over the past 30 years, the sector has achieved significant successes. Erkut said, “Many of our member companies, when we first encountered natural gas, were only importing, but today, the majority are producing in our country. They not only provide products to the domestic market but also make significant contributions to our country’s exports. Turkey is now the production hub for combi boilers and panel radiators in Europe. The global HVAC market grew by 13.95% over the past four years, reaching $580 billion. The Turkish HVAC sector showed a growth of 45% during this period. While the world grew by 15.08% in heating systems and equipment, we grew by 23.3%. We will close 2023 with at least a 10% domestic market growth. Our export, which approaches approximately 1.2 billion dollars, is realized almost entirely by our members.”

The Future Vision, Strategy, and Action Plan Ekrem Erkut, stating that the heating systems sector is facing numerous developments such as new technologies in the sector, the increasing use of natural gas, global energy crises, renewable energy sources, the EU Green Deal, the use of hydrogen in gas-burning devices, heat pumps, hybrid systems, and changing regulations and laws, expressed that DOSİDER has prepared the “Future Vision, Strategy, and Action Plan” to prepare for the future. Erkut emphasized that this strategy will serve as a roadmap for the sector. Erkut said, “In the last 10 years, we have experienced the warmest 8 years in world history, with over 100 flood incidents occurring in our country every year. The recent forest fires are 8 times more than the average of the last 12 years. 80% of the world’s primary energy sources consist of fossil fuels. Issues such as greenhouse gas effects are on the agenda of developed countries intensively. Many agreements are being made to not exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius in global temperature rise. The consequences of the climate and energy crisis are very severe. We are following many national and international projects with our members for ‘Environmentally Friendly Healthy Climate Solutions.’ However, there is no rapid abandonment, especially of natural gas, in this transition, and products and services for hybrid solutions will continue to be offered increasingly. The strategy and action plan we have prepared during this process will take us into the future. With our new vision, we have developed the future strategy of our association in conjunction with natural gas, focusing on renewable and clean energies and inclusiveness.”

Sustainability and energy security will shape the future Ekrem Erkut, the President of DOSİDER, drew attention to the importance of natural gas due to measures taken for natural gas supply security in Turkey and emphasized that green consensus and sustainability issues will become increasingly important. Erkut said, “The importance of hybrid (Natural Gas + Electricity) systems will increase. DOSİDER members have 13 separate R&D centers. In these centers, high-efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions are being developed, and studies are being conducted on alternative energies.”

Over 200,000 employment opportunities Erkut continued his speech as follows: “Our sector directly provides employment for 20,000 people and, with over 6,000 business partners, employs more than 200,000 people. As the number of points where natural gas can be used in Turkey increases, the number of subscribers also increases. In addition, natural gas consumption is on the rise. This, in turn, increases the need for the right service to be provided at the first instance, as well as the number and diversity of products offered to the market. Therefore, we can see that all figures are growing rapidly. In this case, as manufacturers of HEATING devices, systems, and equipment, we continue to grow and develop in full integration with the rapidly changing and developing HEATING and Natural Gas sector worldwide. In fact, Turkey, which was initially only an importer in this sector, has now become a country that seriously manufactures and exports, even becoming the production hub of Europe in some product groups.”

Today, with over 2.5 million combi productions, exceeding 15 million square meters of panel radiator production, and exceeding 2 million natural gas meter productions, our country has become the production center of Europe. While offering almost half of the approximately 2.5 million combis we produce to the domestic market, we also export the other half, mainly to European countries.”

Until 2026, there will be no district without natural gas
Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Nevzat Şatıroğlu stated in his speech that 804 districts in Turkey have access to natural gas, and natural gas is used in 20.3 million households. Şatıroğlu expressed that access to natural gas will be provided throughout Turkey by the end of 2026, saying, “We are determined to bring natural gas to every urbanized area.” Şatıroğlu stated: “Delivering natural gas, an environmentally friendly fuel, to densely populated settlements, especially, contributes significantly to achieving our countrywide carbon footprint target. The carbon tax implemented by the EU may lead to a significant cost increase for our country’s industry. For this purpose, we continue our efforts. We have supplied natural gas to 197 industrial zones. Our natural gas investments will continue to protect our industry from the adverse effects of the carbon tax.”

About DOSİDER:
DOSİDER (Association of Natural Gas Appliance Manufacturers and Businessmen) was established in 1993 and has 30 members. The association aims to prevent unfair competition in the gas sector in Turkey, ensure standardization in projects, materials, and workmanship, contribute to the development of the natural gas sector by participating in the preparation of laws, regulations, specifications, decrees, and standards, and create a platform for collaboration between all public and private institutions related to the supply, distribution, use, and consumption of natural gas. DOSİDER member companies represent 95% of the heating sector. The principles of DOSİDER, the sector’s umbrella organization, include using environmentally friendly and efficient technologies, respecting energy as the source of life, adhering to standardization criteria, and ensuring safety.

DOSİDER’s activities include promoting the development of high-efficiency new products to maximize efficiency and ensure sustainability in natural gas consumption. DOSİDER members have 13 separate R&D centers.

As DOSİDER approaches its 30th anniversary, it continues education and awareness initiatives. The association addresses the significant shortage of vocational training and qualified personnel in all aspects of the industry, conducting various programs to involve young people in vocational training and the industry. DOSİDER has donated educational kits of boilers and gas-burning devices to 40 vocational high schools that train technical personnel. The association also organizes periodic training programs for technical teachers working in vocational high schools, covering new technologies and products in its members’ training centers.

Sector Information:
By the end of 2023, over 800 districts and municipalities in 81 provinces will have transitioned to natural gas usage.
There are 72 natural gas distribution companies nationwide, serving 20.3 million subscribers in licensed areas.
In Istanbul alone, over 7 million subscribers enjoy the use and comfort of natural gas.
As of the end of 2022, 82% of Turkey’s population has access to natural gas.
The active population using natural gas has reached 71%, equivalent to 60 million people, by the end of 2022.
It is projected that by the end of 2026, 71 million people will be using natural gas (source: GAZBİR sector report).
Following natural gas distribution services nationwide, there are:

• Over 10,000 sales points for natural gas installations, devices, etc.
• Over 30,000 natural gas installation and maintenance masters.
• Over 3,000 authorized service providers offering post-sales services for natural gas-burning devices.
  The sector provides direct employment for 20,000 people and indirectly supports 200,000 people through more than 6,000 business partners.