Environment
Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM)
One of the oldest student innovation competitions in the world, Shell Eco-marathon challenges students to design the future in the fields of science, technology, and engineering. Furthermore, the program enhances students’ knowledge of alternative energy sources and energy technologies. The teams explore design, technology, and engineering, design energy-efficient vehicles, and compete on the track during this program. The students aim is to make the vehicles travel the furthest distance with the least amount of energy.
During the competitions in Europe, more than 135 Turkish teams and 2,000 Turkish students have competed since 2005. Over the last decade, Turkish teams have achieved a top 10 position 25 times.
In 2018, students from the Mechanical Club of Uludağ University won the European championship in this competition, which was held with the participation of 147 teams from 27 countries. In the category of hydrogen-powered urban vehicles, ‘Barbaros’ was selected as the most efficient vehicle in Europe by Uludağ University students. In 2019, Yıldız Technical University AE2 team won the “Safety Award” at the Off-Track Awards consisting of five categories.
The projects that Turkish students developed in 2020 attracted attention in Europe, which was organized online for the first time due to the pandemic. As part of Shell Eco-marathon Europe 2020, UMAKIT, the team of the Bursa Uludağ University, the AE2 Team, which is the team of the Yıldız Technical University, and the ALECTED Team from TED University won the European championship in the “Circular Economy” and “Technical Innovation” categories, the “Security Award” category and the category of “Monitoring and Reducing Carbon
Emissions in Vehicles”, respectively. In 2021, the program shifted to virtual competitions due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. As a part of the “Journey to 2050” competition, students from around the world were asked to answer the question “How should mobility look in the future?”
The competition, sponsored by Shell and Microsoft, invited teams of creative, environmentally friendly, and technology-driven individuals to create 30-second commercials for the future of mobility. Bursa Uludağ University’s UMAKIT Team ranked highest in Europe & Africa with their engaging video.
In 2022, the Shell Eco-marathon returned to the Netherlands after a 2-year break due to the pandemic. A special evaluation for the ‘Spirit and Perseverance Award’ was given to Karadeniz Technical University Energy Technologies Group. This award was given for the team’s ability to overcome difficult competition conditions, flexibility, adaptability, high energy, and support of their friends in other teams. Türkiye participated with 10 teams, including 2 high school teams and 8 university teams, in the competition held at Circuit Paul Armagnac, Nogaro-France in 2023, and ranked second among the countries sending the highest number of teams together with Germany following France. As part of Turkish teams, Yıldız Technical University AESK competed with one vehicle in two categories, both autonomous and battery electric, while Borusan Asım Kocabıyık Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School BHS Eco Team competed with 2 different vehicles in 2 different categories. Besides, Istanbul Technical University competed with two different teams.
DenizTemiz Association - 23rd Foundation Anniversary
Aksoy Holding undertook the general sponsorship of the DenizTemiz Association’s 23rd year of the foundation gala dinner, which was held in at Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus. DenizTemiz Association is undertaking a very important task in the protection of our country’s seas and coasts. Over 500 members of the association and its guests attended the gala dinner on October 16, 2017. With the support that given to association who have been working for 23 years Aksoy Holding contributed to the protection of the biodiversity of the sea and coasts and the prevention of pollution.
In her opening speech Şadan Kaptanoğlu, “We will continue our blue voyage together with our valued members, our guests and supporters, until we reach a society who protect its sea and Turkey who won the fighting with sea pollution” she said. A plaque was presented to Aksoy Holding for the support it gives to the association, who believes that a clean environment can be achieved by protecting undersea as well as the sea surface. Aksoy Holding CEO & Vice Chairman Mr. Batu Aksoy’s plaque was given by Founder and Honorary President Rahmi M. Koç and Board Chairman Şadan Kaptanoğlu. Batu Aksoy said, “As the business people, we have a great responsibility to make the ecosystem that we live in better. Reclaiming what we receive from nature is very important for both humans and other living creatures living in nature. In this sense, Turmepa’s work is very valuable. We are happy and proud to be a part of it tonight as Aksoy Holding and Epique Island”.
Bottle Caps Recycled into Happiness
Respect for Nature
In addition to constantly improving its products through technological innovation, Shell & Turcas plays an active role in the fight against climate change by providing cleaner energy solutions, which contributes to increased efficiency and performance. A number of projects have been launched by the Company to date, including electric charging units, waste management, LNG stations, and solar-powered stations.
There are currently 38 stations across the country that use 30% of their electricity from solar power. The “digital energy management” system, which was piloted in 2020, allows users to monitor the energy consumption of a wide range of station components, including air conditioners, refrigerators, and canopies. Up to 10% of energy can be saved with digital energy management.
In addition, Shell Lubricants and Grease Production Facility in Derince, where products are exported to 70 countries, has received the Zero Waste Certificate, awarded by the Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Kocaeli, after establishing the Zero Waste Management System. By separately collecting, labeling, recycling, or recovering waste across the facility at their source, the company was able to contribute significantly to its sustainability and carbon emission reduction goals, reducing the amount of waste disposed of, as well as raising employee awareness. Solar panels have been installed on the roof of Derince Lubricant and Grease Production Facility, enabling the facility to generate its own electricity. With its 1MW installed power, it is expected that the solar panel structure will provide approximately 25% of the facility’s annual power consumption, thus preventing approximately 500 tons of carbon emissions annually.
Shell offers the widest service network for vehicle maintenance in Türkiye. For the first time in the industry, Super Ionized Water technology is being used in car washers to allow thousands of vehicles to be washed without wasting any water. Every station saves an average of more than 2,000,000 liters of water each year as a result of this technology.
A Shell & Turcas Forest has been established on an area of 5 hectares on the Istanbul Northern Ring Motorway that is expected to neutralize approximately 105 tons of carbon dioxide released by more than 1,300 automobiles every year. A total of 3,100 trees of eight varieties, blue cypress, pyramid cypress, umbrella pine, lime, ash-leaved maple, sycamore, red oak, and acacia catechu, were planted in the Shell & Turcas Forest, which were planned, accredited, and planted by two distinguished professors from Istanbul University’s Faculty of Forestry.