Cost-effective Pilot Scale Production of Bioethanol” project is ongoing between Bartin University and Pakistan Goverment College University Lahore (GCU)

Yayın Tarihi : 05/11/2018

Dean of Faculty of Science of Bartın University Dr. Ahmet Karadağ traveled to Pakistan for 15 days to participate in the bioethanol project, in which bioethanol was planned to be produced in a new way in cooperation with Goverment College University Lahore (GCU).

Under project-based Mevlana Exchange Program implemented by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the project continues in cooperation with Bartin University and Pakistan GCU. A conference was held by the Institute of Industrial Biotechnology at the Bukhari Conference Hall of GCU for the purpose of demonstrating the project in which the forest roses, hazelnut shells and hazelnut cobs will be used from the vegetable wastes of the Black Sea Region. Emir Özbay, the Consul General of Turkey in Lahore, Rashid Mansur, the Honorary Consul of Turkey, Prof. Dr. Hassan Amir Shah, the Vice President of GCU, and many academicians and students participated in the conference, which provided extensive information about the project and ideas were exchanged on the cooperation of the two countries.

Speaking at the meeting, Dean of Faculty of Science in Bartın University and Project Director, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Karadağ stated that considering that the energy demand in the world has increased exponentially and the environmental pollution due to energy consumption has reached critical levels, it is required that the world heads for the sustainable and environmental energy sources. He underlined that, considering oil resources will be completely exhausted especially in 2050s and the world nations have activated alternative energy sources, it is inevitable that Turkey and Pakistan, largely dependent on outside energy sources, have to start using alternative energy sources immediately.

A process for the fourth generation of bioethanol is being developed”

While annual bioethanol production is 45 billion tons for US, and 26 billion tons for Brazil, it is just 150 million tons in Turkey, thus when comparing bioethanol production of many other countries, Turkey and Pakistan get behind, said by Dr. Karadağ; he also emphasized that the new generation of bioethanol production should be seen as an opportunity and that when this project is completed, it will be possible to establish Turkey’s fourth bioethanol production center in Bartın and it would not be a dream to increase our annual bioethanol production to billion tons.

An important project for both countries”

Vice President of GCU, Dr. Hassan Amir Shah, noted that Pakistan has a significant energy need and should urgently take action to find an alternative to fossil fuels. Professor Dr. Shah also expressed his hopes that the successful completion of this project would make a great contribution to the economy of both countries.

It is time to focus on renewable energy production”

Assoc. Prof. M. Nauman Aftab, project director of Pakistani side, emphasized that solar and wind energy-based projects requiring heavy equipment and large storage devices for a country like Pakistan are not applicable, therefore, “It is time to focus on the production of large-scale renewable energy in the form of biofuels” and that this project has been implemented for this purpose.

The cooperation is very important”

Turkey's Consulate General in Lahore yet to be appointed, Emir Özbay expressed his happiness because of the cooperation, and wished that universities in Pakistan and Turkey increase their mutual cooperation with more research projects.

Significant contributions will be made to economies of the two countries”

The President of Bartın University, Prof. Dr. Orhan Uzun, stating that the efforts Bartın University to reach international levels continue at the academic staff and faculty level; he said that an important step has been taken in regional development and specialization.

Prof. Dr. Uzun said “Within the scope of the ‘Project-Based Mevlana Exchange Program’ implemented by our Higher Education Council, we signed faculty member and student exchange agreement with GCU. This mutual project of the two countries, which is worth to be supported by entering the first 10 among the 30 projects submitted to Higher Education Council, will contribute to the development of our country especially in our region, and in this context, due to their support, I would like to thank the President of Higher Education Council, Prof. Dr. M. A. Yekta Saraç and all members of Higher Education Council, Bartın Governor Nusret Dirim, the Dean of the Faculty of Science Prof. Dr. Ahmet Karadağ, and all academics who will contribute to the project”.