Selen Inal - TurSEFF Business Development Manager - Stantec
LinkedIn : https://tr.linkedin.com/in/seleninal
Selen Inal is a TurSEFF Business Development Manager with Stantec Turkey. She holds a degree in chemical engineering and a masters in energy conversion and management. Having developed a wealth of experiences working with several companies in the energy sector, she aims to share her knowledge with others in her goal to break the ‘glass ceiling’.
An Unconventional Path
Selen had her first taste of the energy sector when she completed a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant project during her 4th year of university. At the time of graduation, graduates of the program usually found themselves working in the pharmaceuticals or chemical processing industry. In 2001, the energy market in Turkey had not yet been developed. Looking to expand her knowledge in the energy sector, she moved to Germany to complete her masters on the subject. She learnt about energy conversion and management while being at the hub of the energy industry.
She returned to Turkey and started working for a company involved in natural gas CCPPs (combined cycle power plants), where her business development portfolio included approximately 2200MW worth of projects. While this was a great start, she wanted more. Wanting to take on more responsibility, she decided to leave her job in search of her next step. She realized that it was difficult to progress with her career and find a new job as a woman in energy at that time in Turkey. The market and people were not ready for it. So, she decided on the next best thing, start the change herself. She became an entrepreneur providing consulting services to various foreign companies such as American Solar Reserve, Danish Fairwind, Chinese SPIC (the State Power Investment Corporation of China) as well as international financial institutions such as EBRD (the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) and ICBC (the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) that were interested in the Turkish renewable energy market.
Unfortunately, in 2016 an attempted Coup d’Etat happened on the Turkish government. With this came uncertainty on the political and financial scene within Turkey. This halted the foreign companies’ interest in investing in the Turkish market, including many of Selen’s clients.
By now Selen had gained the experience and respect from different energy companies within Turkey. Next, she worked at EkoRE, where she handled 30 MWs of solar and wind energy projects and gained experience in the PV panel manufacturing industry. She managed the project development process for the company's high-technology and high-efficiency PV (photovoltaic) panel manufacturing plant project (1 GW/year Ingot - Wafer - Cell - Module). This project was granted "special project” status and the incentives offered by the Turkish government totalled up to 4.2 billion TL.
Needless to say, she had made an impression prior to starting her role at Stantec.
Working at Stantec – Developing Turkey’s Green Market
At Stantec, she works as a TurSEFF Business Development Manager. TurSEFF is the Turkey Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (https://www.turseff.org/). TurSEFF was set up by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to help finance sustainable energy projects throughout Turkey. The project types would include renewable energy, energy, water, material efficiency and waste management. EBRD offers the funds for TurSEFF through local financial institutions – banks and leasing companies. When a company or municipality applies for a financial loan for their project, the financial conditions are evaluated by the local financial institutions and the technical evaluation and approval is done through Stantec.
She is focused on developing sectoral cooperation and new business models so that more renewable energy and resource efficiency projects may receive funding and be realised in Turkey. She works to collect projects and to raise awareness of the TurSEFF financing to several parties within Turkey. As such, she speaks to various stakeholders and potential clients in different sectors; energy companies, industrial enterprises, equipment vendors, technology providers, business associations, municipalities and consulates of different countries with interest in the Turkish energy market. She explains that Turkey is a bit behind in the energy market when it comes to flexible and diversified business models integrating renewable energy resources. So, she also works on innovative business models that are relatively new for the Turkish market and will help beneficiary companies secure funding and compete in the market.
The aim is to make energy generation cleaner and the energy market greener.
Breaking the Glass Ceiling
Selen wants to be a pioneer in this field both locally and internationally. She explains that there are more and more women entering into the energy sector, but there are still gaps. She emphasizes that it is still very difficult for women to have managerial or executive positions. With her knowledge, age and experience, she works with her full force to break this ‘glass ceiling’.
She was recently invited to engage in the activities of the European Technology & Innovation Platform (ETIP PV) as an active expert for Industry Forum and LCOE & Competitiveness working groups. The platform aims to create innovative ideas on how to develop PV in Europe and achieve global leadership in the PV market. She wants to contribute her experience while learning from other members. She believes that this would also serve towards the organization’s goal to achieve gender equality.
Involvement with WiRE
Selen first became involved with WiRE through its recent expansion into Turkey. Through her conversations and meetings with the WiRE committee, she felt a synergy with their cause and was excited to get involved.
She really wants to spread the word and incorporate WiRE within Turkey. She is a member of the advisory committee in Turkey. She explains that being a part of a global organization improves country relationships, sharing a common vision. As she says it, “The more you look, the more people you will find willing to share knowledge, experience and make a difference”.
One of the first events that they will be organizing in Turkey is a seminar with KAGİDER – the Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey (https://www.kagider.org/) a non-governmental organization aimed at strengthening women entrepreneurs.
Advice to newcomers
Since she has graduated from university, Selen has seen a positive increase in women entering the energy industry.
Networking is important, and this does not mean knowing lots of people. Have a small but trustworthy one, with people whom you may rely on. Less is more. Whether you meet a person in a meeting or a conference, you will have to develop trust, create a synergy with them. Developing a strong relationship and fruitful networking takes time and effort.
Closing Remarks
Challenges still remain for women wanting to obtain management positions. Selen encourages people who have ventured into this industry to persevere and not give up. Going into management is all about not only working harder but working smarter. Be flexible, creative and practical. Do not be afraid to try and further educate yourself. In this field, it is important to have knowledge in different areas whether it be financial, technical, commercial and legal from a wide and integrated perspective. The whole energy sector is interconnected; all participate in one market.
Bol Şans (Good luck)!