International ESCO Symposium 2025 – Welcoming Remarks

The symposium, held in Istanbul and hosted by EYODER (Energy Efficiency and Management Association of Türkiye), in collaboration with UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and other partners, gathered nearly 200 participants from 42 countries. It aimed to elevate the global ESCO (Energy Service Company) industry and promote energy efficiency as a key solution to climate and energy challenges.

Welcoming Remarks Highlights

Søren Lütken – Co-chair, Global ESCO Network, UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre

• Emphasized the importance of engaging the private sector in climate action.
• Highlighted ESCOS as efficient tools for implementing energy efficiency.
• Called for policy support to accelerate ESCO market growth.

Onur Ünlü – President, EYODER

• Stressed energy efficiency as a strategic solution to climate, energy, and economic challenges.
• Outlined Türkiye’s national goals: 16% reduction in primary energy consumption by 2030, $20B investment, and 100 million tons of CO₂ reduction.
• Advocated for a collaborative ESCO ecosystem involving finance, insurance, legal, and engineering sectors.

Ahmet Berat Conkar – Deputy Minister, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Türkiye

• Reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to energy efficiency through its National Action Plan.
• Highlighted the role of ESCOS in public-private partnerships and performance-based contracts.
• Announced targets like 30% energy savings in public buildings by 2030 and emphasized financial incentives and international cooperation.

Gwi-Yeop Son – Regional Director, UN Development Coordination Office

• Linked ESCOs to broader sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda.
• Urged ESCOS to engage in national climate planning (NDCs).
• Called for partnerships with UN country teams to scale energy efficiency.

Martin Krause – Director, Climate Change Division, UNEP

• Introduced UNEP’s support for ESCOS and the launch of the first Global ESCO Market Report.
• Highlighted ESCOS’ strong ROI and job creation potential.
• Advocated for regulatory frameworks to support energy performance contracting.

Keynote Speech – Dr. Clara Camarasa, UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre

Global ESCO Market Report Insights

• Market Concentration: 85% of global ESCO investments are in the US and China.
• Project Types: Integrated retrofits yield higher savings but require stronger capacity.
• Sector Engagement: Public and industrial sectors are active; residential and transport lag behind.
• Technology Trends: Lighting and HVAC dominate; advanced tech like heat pumps underused.
• Energy Savings: US leads with 56% savings; most countries average around 30%.
• Financing Challenges: Access to finance is the top barrier; innovative models needed.
• Policy Drivers: National energy efficiency targets are key to market growth.

Opportunities & Recommendations

• Expand ESCOs into underserved sectors (commercial, industrial).
• Promote integrated retrofits over single-tech solutions.
• Implement smart policies to unlock private finance.
• Governments should treat energy efficiency as infrastructure and support ESCOS with mandates and incentives.

Closing Message

The symposium underscored that energy efficiency is not just an environmental or economic issue—it’s a strategic enabler of sustainable development. ESCOS are central to achieving climate goals, and their success depends on supportive ecosystems of policy, finance, and collaboration.