ASPİLSAN Enerji General Manager Ahmet Turan Özdemir said in his announcement that they have implemented an agreement with Turkcell as part of their engagements with civilian sectors. He emphasized the significant progress made in Türkiye with the emergence of telecommunication batteries, noting their widespread usage across various points in the network.
In addition to collaborations with the electric household appliances sector, Özdemir mentioned ongoing efforts in this field.
He indicated that they are developing partnerships with different companies to incorporate new battery cells into innovative designs, expressing confidence in harvesting the fruits of these collaborations in the near future.
Özdemir highlighted the crucial role of portable energy storage systems in both military and civilian applications. In this context, he mentioned their plans to introduce the products they have developed into practical use in the coming period.
Providing information about their work on civil aviation, Özdemir said:
"Civil aviation is one of the most challenging fields due to its regulations. Providing an energy source for a flying platform is a complex process, and it becomes even more challenging when humans are involved. We have made significant strides in this field and have completed the EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) certification for our aviation batteries. Turkish Airlines has been a significant supporter in this regard, and with their assistance, we have achieved important milestones. The ongoing process of placing domestically manufactured products used in civil aviation, such as coatings and seats, alongside critical components like batteries, is significant. We have completed an important stage with the EASA certification for our aviation batteries, a crucial and critical component for aircraft, with the support of THY Technic and Turkish Airlines. There is an important market waiting for us in the process of localization of products in civil aviation. Our preparations continue, we have come a long way."
Preparation for Hydrogen
Ahmet Turan Özdemir stated that, in addition to other efforts, they have been conducting research and development (R&D) activities on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies with doctoral researchers for the past five years at Technopark Istanbul.
Emphasizing the significant role of hydrogen as an energy source, Özdemir pointed out that challenges related to the economic production, storage, and logistics of hydrogen still need to be overcome.
Explaining that more effective service can be provided by improving these conditions and that regulations may require the use of hydrogen, Özdemir made the following evaluations:
"No resource in the world is unlimited. There will be difficulties with the lithium batteries we use after a certain period. We will need alternative energy sources in the future. Hydrogen is also an important area. We observe and know that some European investors are making large investments in this field, especially in the African region. We also continue R&D activities to be ready for that day. We also evaluate European Union funds in this field. We have European Union projects related to hydrogen that our teams are pursuing. In our country, TENMAK and TUBITAK support important studies on this subject. We continue our work on hydrogen and fuel cells together with these institutions."
Electric Vehicle Batteries
Özdemir, who informed that they produce nickel-cadmium batteries in the form of assembly from electrodes in their factories in the organized industrial zone in Kayseri, stated that these products are widely used in air, sea and rail transportation due to their electrical characteristics and safety. He mentioned that they offer solutions for various vehicle groups.
Pointing out that R&D teams are operating in Ankara regarding electric vehicles, Özdemir said:
"Here, we manufacture battery packs ranging from light electric vehicles to minibuses. We have done important work in this field. In this field, we have conducted significant research, producing products that include battery production circuits, cells, as well as leak-proof and thermally managed items. In this regard, we have achieved substantial progress. We made, designed and supplied these products according to the needs of our customers. We have products that work in the field. There are products that we are still producing and designing. This sector is highly valued by the European Union. There is considerable global awareness regarding the secondary use of vehicle batteries, their life cycle health predictions, expertise, as well as their recycling and recovery. Engaging in pioneering R&D activities related to our field, our engineers are contributing to the transformation of research into tangible products."
