Clean Energy Sector Organized Study Visit to Spain

A study visit was organized to Spain on April 04 - 09 for Bechmarking Study within the BEST For Energy Project, which aims to develop a competitive cluster in the clean energy and clean technology sector in Turkey, carried out by İzmir Development Agency (İZKA) in partnership with the Energy Industrialists and Businessmen Association (ENSİA). 
 
Supported by the European Commission within the Competitive Sectors Program of the Ministry of Industry & Technology and carried out by the Izmir Development Agency (IZKA), BEST For Energy Project aims to develop a competitive cluster in the Clean Energy and Clean Technology Sector. To provide input to the Development Strategy of the Clean Energy and Clean Technology Cluster, institutions and organizations operating in the field of Clean Energy in Spain were visited. The delegation, consisting of companies and institutions in the Izmir clean energy ecosystem and officials from the Ministry of Industry and Technology, İZKA, and ENSİA, visited two different regions in Spain.
 
In the first part of the study visit program, TEKNIKER Technology Center and TECNALIA Research Center, WINDBOX Advanced Production Center, SAITEC were visited by BEST For Energy Delegation. 
İzmir Clean Energy and Clean Technology Cluster was introduced by participating in the International Clusters Summit within WindEurope 2022, one of the world's most significant events on wind energy hosting 70 panels with approximately 8,000 participants and 300 speakers. In addition, meetings were held with the Basque Energy Cluster, which includes 180 companies, and the Basque Trade and Investment Agency.
 
In the second part of the study visit program, meetings were held with the local development agency Barcelona Activa, Endolla Barcelona and MES Barcelona. Glòries Entrepreneurship Center and 22 Innovation Districts were also visited. Following the meeting with the ACCIÓ, which supports 24.000 companies in internationalization and innovation, information and experience on clustering were shared with The Catalan Efficient Energy Cluster and the European Foundation for Cluster Excellence.
 
The delegation, which had an efficient study visit, informed their interlocutors about the investment and supply opportunities in İzmir, which has become one of the most important production centers in Eastern Europe and the MENA region for wind turbine equipment production. All visited institutions were invited to the events to be held in Türkiye as part of the BEST For Energy Project, and a consensus was reached to increase cooperation with concrete projects.