Borusan EnBW Enerji, a joint venture of Borusan Group and Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW), integrates renewable energy generation with ecosystem protection. At the Kıyıköy Wind Power Plant (WPP), European hornets (Vespa crabro) nesting in turbine entrances during summer months posed occupational health and safety risks for maintenance operations. To resolve the issue without chemical interventions, the company launched the "Bee Hotels" initiative.
Reflecting Borusan Group’s climate, people, and innovation (i3) sustainability framework, the initiative aligns circular economy principles with biodiversity and community involvement.
Aromatic Barriers, Recycled Hives, and Water Troughs
Natural scent barriers were created around turbine entrances using wild mint, rosemary, thyme, basil, sage, lemongrass, garlic, eucalyptus, and bay leaves. These scents redirect European hornets safely toward alternative habitats.
Additionally, 68 students from Kıyıköy Secondary School joined Borusan EnBW Enerji volunteers to build bee hotels out of waste materials. Rainwater collected from turbine towers was utilized to build water troughs for local wildlife. The effectiveness of the bee hotels and water troughs is actively monitored via camera traps and field observations.
Recognized at the "Inspiration for the Future Awards"
The project received an award in the biodiversity category at the "Inspiration for the Future Awards" organized by Borusan Holding. Borusan EnBW Enerji plans to expand this operational framework to its other facility sites.
Executive Statement
Enis Amasyalı, General Manager of Borusan EnBW Enerji, stated:
Protecting biodiversity at our plant sites while generating renewable energy, managing human-wildlife interaction through nature-based solutions, and achieving this with employee volunteerism and local development is at the center of our sustainability vision. The Bee Hotels project stands as a strong example of our environmentally respectful operational understanding, our sustainability approach prioritizing social benefit, and our collective intelligence in the field.
