The “CarbonBot” application, developed within the scope of the “Corporate Twin Transformation Project,” which aims to accelerate the green transformation process of SMEs and maintain their competitiveness in the European market, was introduced. Thanks to CarbonBot, companies will be able to instantly receive answers to their questions regarding complex regulations related to decarbonization and access the information they need in their twin transformation processes through a single application.
The introductory meeting for the “Corporate Twin Transformation Project,” implemented with the support of the Istanbul Development Agency (İSTKA), in collaboration with the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), the Turkish Aluminum Manufacturers Association (TALSAD), and the Turkish Foundry Manufacturers Association (TÜDÖKSAD), and led by Yeditepe University, was held. Academicians and students from Yeditepe University, as well as representatives from the sector, attended the meeting held at Teknopark Istanbul.
The project aims to protect the competitiveness of exporting sectors in the face of increasing obligations in line with the European Union’s green transformation policies and the Border Carbon Adjustment Mechanism (BCAM). The project, which includes training modules for SMEs and the AI-powered CarbonBot application, is expected to particularly facilitate the regulatory compliance processes of SMEs and increase their R&D capacities.
Turan: Twin Transformation is a Necessity of Our Time
Associate Professor Dr. Ahmet Turan, Director of the Yeditepe University Technology Transfer Office, Head of the Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, and project leader, explained the project’s origins and objectives.
Associate Professor Dr. Turan stated, “Based on humanity’s need to combat global warming, we realized that the academic studies we have been conducting for many years needed to be transferred to the relevant ecosystems in Turkey. Therefore, the project emerged as a necessity. The twin transformation approach reveals the fundamental reality of our time, humanity, and industry. One of these is digital transformation; we see its effects in every aspect of our lives. The other is green transformation. We clearly see the reflections of this transformation in daily life, industry, and international relations. These two elements strongly support each other. In particular, carrying out green transformation together with digital transformation creates a multiplier effect, accelerating and facilitating processes. At the same time, it makes the fight against global warming more effective and efficient.”
‘We Aim to Strengthen the R&D Infrastructure of Companies’
Turan stated that the project aims to increase the competitiveness of SMEs, and continued:
“In developed countries, the main burden of industry rests on SMEs.” Therefore, it is of great importance for SMEs to develop both their scientific and technological infrastructure and to increase their R&D capacity. With this project, we aim to increase the competitiveness of SMEs, primarily in Istanbul and then on a national scale, both in the domestic market and in exports. At the same time, we aim to strengthen the R&D infrastructure of companies.
This project would not have been possible without the support of the Istanbul Development Agency. Thanks to the strong cooperation we have established with our project partners, we will provide concrete outputs to the industry on a national scale. While this work will produce important outputs in the field of carbon solutions, it will also pave the way for the establishment of the Yeditepe University Carbon Solutions Application and Research Center. The project results will contribute to the fight against global warming on a global scale and will also strengthen the hand of companies in international competition from an economic perspective.”
Reliable and Effective Consultant: CarbonBot
Dr. Hatice Kübra Akben, Assistant Head of the Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering at Yeditepe University, also explained the CarbonBot application developed within the scope of the project.
Akben said, “When we started the project, we set out with the question, ‘How can we contribute to companies in their green transformation journey?’ This idea gave rise to the concept of developing CarbonBot. Today, artificial intelligence tools have transformed into personalized assistants. However, regulations in carbon capture and carbon compliance processes are quite comprehensive. The sector is not yet fully familiar with all of these regulations. Therefore, we created a reliable database covering national and international legislation. CarbonBot was designed as a broad language model that feeds solely from this database. ”It doesn’t have a direct connection to the open internet or search engines. Therefore, it serves as a more reliable AI assistant for companies,” he said.
Akben continued, saying, “KarbonBot will continue to improve itself:
We are currently in the pilot phase, and its capacity is increasing with the data added to the system. It will make a significant contribution to companies’ reporting processes, especially within the scope of sustainability reporting standards. Not only large companies, but also SMEs and medium-sized enterprises are part of this process. Because sustainability reporting covers the entire supply chain. Supplier companies also need to be strengthened in this area. Reading and understanding regulatory texts is not easy for companies. KarbonBot will act as a consultant in this regard, ensuring understanding of the legislation. Within the scope of the project, we are not only offering KarbonBot; we have also created training content on 15 different topics. Our aim is to inform and empower all SMEs in this transformation process.”
Saymen: Critical for Remaining in the European Market
Duygu Saymen, Secretary General of the Turkish Aluminum Manufacturers Association, stated that the project is of vital importance, especially for the aluminum sector, and said:
“This project is very important for the Turkish aluminum industry. Our sector’s total exports reached $5.5 billion by 2025, and 60-62% of this is directly to Europe. Europe is one of our most important markets. Therefore, adapting to Europe’s green transformation process and carbon compliance targets such as SKDM is a critical requirement for our sector. Our project accelerates the green transformation process by digitizing it.”
Saymen also emphasized the importance of widespread use of the platform, stating that members welcomed the project with great enthusiasm. Saymen added, “Because we are in an extremely important period for the competitiveness of our industry and we are facing complex regulations.” “Our sector desperately needed projects like this that would streamline business processes, not disrupt commercial activities, and support competitiveness,” he said.
Kaplan: Carbon and Water Footprint Measurement Will Be Done Through the Platform
Melike Emiroğlu Kaplan, Project Coordination Manager of the Turkish Exporters’ Council, stated that their role in the project was to develop a platform that measures carbon and water footprints.
Kaplan said, “Carbon footprint measurements of companies will be carried out through the GreenTİM platform we have developed. In addition, we plan to offer various training modules to companies through the platform. The project will produce concrete outputs in the field of carbon solutions.”