Our university continues to develop programs to support not only our campus community but also the local community to learn about energy efficiency and the importance of clean energy.
A workshop on renewable and clean energy production was organized by IMU Sustainability Office in cooperation with IMU Sustainability Student Club on December 20, 2023, as part of the “3rd Istanbul Medeniyet University Sustainability Week” activities. In the workshop conducted by our university Sustainability Office Research Assistant Ayça ÇELİKBİLEK and geological engineer Gökhan SAPMAZ, “ElectriCITY: Energy Preferences Game”, a role game in which participants would produce energy policies as decision makers in the city’s energy production, was played. The workshop was carried out at the IMU Sustainability Office and was open to the participation of all Istanbul Medeniyet University students, staff and the public.
In the workshop, firstly, general information about the energy system used in cities and energy management was given. In this context, participants were informed about primary energy sources, including fossil fuels, renewable energy sources and other energy sources. Then, the technologies and facilities that convert these primary energy sources into usable energy were mentioned and the energy sources through which these facilities generate electricity and which end-use sectors such as commerce, industry, transportation and housing are provided with energy. Following this information, through the Sankey diagram, the participants discussed where the electricity generated from which energy sources is used, the amount of energy that energy sources can produce and the amount of energy lost (energy efficiency). Finally, in order to understand why energy policies are important for the environment, participants were informed about the air pollutants, greenhouse gases and water consumption caused by fuel choice in energy production. This helped participants understand the importance of energy management in the global climate crisis.
In the second part of the workshop, the participants were introduced to the game, which is a simple simulation of the energy system in cities, and the rules of the game were explained. The participants were divided into five groups, each representing a city with different resources. The game, which was designed as a simulation of real life, was played in 6 different stages in which carbon costs gradually increased, carbon emissions were kept within a certain limit, water consumption was kept within a certain limit, and different political and economic conditions developed for each group. In each stage, it was discussed how the changes in political, economic and environmental conditions were reflected in the energy policies produced by the groups and how these policies were reflected in environmental costs in addition to construction and operating costs.
The workshop ended with the announcement of the top three teams with the lowest cost (installation+operation+environmental) at the end of the 6 stages.
About the Game: ElectriCITY is a simple simulation game that focuses on the costs of producing the electrical energy needed by cities. The game serves as a dynamic platform to encourage participants to decide what type of energy production to produce in the city, as well as to think about the costs of that choice. The main objective of the game is to provide the ability to assess the investment and operational costs of energy production, as well as the environmental costs of different electricity mixes, including carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and how they may affect water use. The game also has the potential to explore different energy contexts specific to geographical regions as well as socio-political issues. Thus, it provides an opportunity to discuss geographical inequalities in energy production and indirectly in industrial production. The aim of the game is not to provide the “right answer” in energy production, but to provide an understanding of the challenges and, more importantly, the trade-offs involved in making energy and policy decisions.
