Offshore wind energy resources are not fully exploited renewable energy resources until now and could play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of climate change by the generation of renewable electricity. Planning processes such as technical, social, environmental, various agents, and political concerns are necessary for the development of offshore wind energy projects. The objective of this study was to assess the comprehensive feasibility of a desired offshore wind power plant applying Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) guidance for the coastal area of Turkey. Furthermore, EMODnet (the European Marine Observation and Data Network) was employed for data acquisition to unlock fragmented and hidden marine data resources and to facilitate investment in sustainable coastal and offshore activities. For the determination of potential site with Multi-Criteria Decision Maker Method, 3 main criteria Technical (C1), Environmental (C2), and Social (C3), and 13 sub-criteria were determined. Based on these criteria, the suitability map was created by using all criteria map layers with their buffer zones. The final map indicated that %1.38 (3294.8 km 2 ) of Turkey Seas was suitable for offshore wind farms. The most suitable region was determined in the Marmara Sea with 1194 km 2 . The Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea were following the Marmara Sea in terms of the huge suitable regions respectively. It was apparent that the growth of offshore wind farms in Turkey would increase if the supporting mechanism and the necessary legislation were ensured.

Saline lakes are widespread throughout the arid and semi-arid regions of the world and have considerable ecological importance. They are also very vulnerable to climatic changes or changes in their hydrological regimes. Most saline lakes of Turkey are close to the verge of extinction due to natural and anthropogenic impacts. This study analyzes the spatial and temporal changes at a relatively pristine saline lake (Tuzla (Palas) Lake) in Kayseri, Turkey, from 1987 to 2011 using satellite imagery techniques. Landsat Thematic Mapper images acquired in 1987, 2000, 2003, and 2011 were used in the analysis. The images were geometrically corrected by registering them to ground control points. The study area on each image was classified into seven information classes, i.e., water, watery ground, dry lake, mud/vegetated flats, salt flats, shrubs/sedges, and agriculture. The accuracies of the classifications were evaluated using a standard error matrix and kappa statistics. The analysis showed that the surface area of Tuzla Lake was highly variable during the 1987–2011 period. Lake surface area was the largest in 1987 and the smallest in 2003. Analysis of the climatic conditions for 4 years showed that the surface area of the lake is highly vulnerable to changes in precipitation and air temperatures.

Biogas production from food waste has been used as an efficient waste treatment option for years. The methane yields from decomposition of waste are, however, highly variable under different operating conditions. In this study, a statistical experimental design method (Taguchi OA) was implemented to investigate the effects of simultaneous variations of three parameters on methane production. The parameters investigated were solid content (SC), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N) and food/inoculum ratio (F/I). Two sets of experiments were conducted with nine anaerobic reactors operating under different conditions. Optimum conditions were determined using statistical analysis, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA). A confirmation experiment was carried out at optimum conditions to investigate the validity of the results. Statistical analysis showed that SC was the most important parameter for methane production with a 45% contribution, followed by F/I ratio with a 35% contribution. The optimum methane yield of 151 l kg volatile solids (VS) was achieved after 24 days of digestion when SC was 4%, C/N was 28 and F/I were 0.3. The confirmation experiment provided a methane yield of 167 l kg VS after 24 days. The analysis showed biogas production from food waste may be increased by optimization of operating conditions.

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This study presents an air pollutant emission inventory of primary pollutants for Kayseri, Turkey. Kayseri is one of the largest cities in Turkey which went through industrialization in recent decades together with rapid population growth. Air pollution from residential, industrial, and transportation sources have been a major problem for Kayseri during this period. In this study, emissions of four primary pollutants, namely, particulate matter (PM), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO) were estimate. The sources of air pollutants in Kayseri were classified as point, area, and line sources. The emissions from point and area sources (i.e., industrial and residential areas) were estimated by using the information on types and amounts of fuels used. The emissions from line sources (i.e., transportation) were estimated by using the vehicle count data on major roads. The appropriate emission factors were obtained from the Unites State Environmental Protection Agency or European Environment Agency. The results showed that the annual emission rates for PM, SO2, NOX and CO were 2929 tons,5082 tons, 6791 tons and 37094 tons, respectively. Area sources are responsible for 86%, 94%, and 75% of total PM, SO2, and CO emissions, respectively. Point sources provide about 56% of total NOX emissions. In order to improve the air quality of our cities, it is envisaged that control measures should be taken especially for reducing the residential emissions caused by heating and the determination of national emission calculation factors in order to achieve more reliable results.