İzmir Hosts International Meetings on Clean Energy
The WENERGY Expo – 3rd Clean Energy Technologies Fair and Conference drew attention this year with its international scope. Bringing together industry representatives from around the world in İzmir, the fair saw important partnerships and trade agreements take place.
Hosted by İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and organized by İZFAŞ, EFOR, and BİFAŞ Fuarcılık, the WENERGY Expo – 3rd Clean Energy Technologies Fair expanded to an international scale this year, strengthening global cooperation in clean energy. The fair attracted great interest not only from Türkiye but also from delegations, investors, and technology companies from countries such as Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Yemen, Syria, Iran, and Egypt.
İZFAŞ General Manager Tuğçe Cumalıoğlu emphasized that the fair’s global expansion supported İzmir’s sustainability vision. She stated that elevating WENERGY Expo to an international level was an important step that reinforced İzmir’s leadership in the field of clean energy:
“The Mayor of Chernivtsi, a sister city of İzmir, visited our fair to explore investment projects in their rebuilding efforts. We hosted the World Energy Council representative and the Deputy Minister from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We also welcomed trade delegations from Ukraine’s Bukovyna Business Club to discuss investment and cooperation opportunities in Ukraine’s reconstruction. The director and delegation of the Turkish-French Trade Association attended, as well as the Secretary of Economy from Bremen State. Moreover, representatives of chambers of commerce and companies from Iraq, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Yemen, Syria, Iran, and Egypt, including firms working on solar panels, technology, and energy storage systems, participated in our fair. I believe this event is of great importance for establishing new partnerships and attracting new investments, not only for İzmir but also for the wider region.”
Highlighting the fair’s role in leveraging Türkiye’s energy opportunities and taking them to an international scale, Cumalıoğlu said:
“Our fair not only highlights İzmir but also plays a crucial role in evaluating Türkiye’s energy opportunities and fostering new partnerships and investment prospects. Sustainability is no longer just a trend but a necessity. Therefore, as İzmir Metropolitan Municipality and one of its institutions, we are always ready to do our part. We will continue to take all the necessary steps wholeheartedly to ensure İzmir becomes a global center for clean energy.”
One of the most notable delegations at the fair was from Ukraine, who expressed their desire to benefit from İzmir’s experience during their post-war reconstruction process. Tetiana Dutkevych, International Relations Advisor to the Mayor of Chernivtsi, said:
“After the war, we must rebuild our energy infrastructure. We are planning solar and hydroelectric projects. This fair in İzmir provided us with great inspiration both technically and commercially. Your city will be a model for us. We came as part of the Bukovyna Business Club. After the war, we want to rebuild Ukraine.”
Hamed Sadeghi, owner of the Iranian company Azar Machin, attended WENERGY Expo as a visitor:
“In Iran, we sell solar machinery. We came to this fair, and it turned out to be a very good one. There are many different companies and factories. We saw new energy systems, which was very valuable for us. At these fairs, we discover new products. In Türkiye, many big cities are only just starting to focus on clean energy, and İzmir is pioneering in this sense. Here, we met new companies. Hopefully, we will bring their machines to Iran and start trading. We already have sales channels through our dealers in Iran. The fair was excellent in its third year; hopefully, it will be even bigger in its fourth and fifth years.”
Ozan Doğan Avunduk, Business Development and Project Management Officer of the Turkish-French Trade Association, underlined the fair’s importance for fostering international partnerships in the energy sector:
“Together with the İzmir Chamber of Commerce, we held a productive panel at the fair. In the coming years, we want to implement new projects together and will gladly take part in such initiatives. Our goal is to enhance technical and financial cooperation between France and Türkiye in line with Türkiye’s green transition and clean energy targets. We believe this fair will support our goal. İzmir’s leadership in this field within Türkiye is a source of hope for us all.”
