METU has a policy on divesting from carbon-intensive energy industries, notably coal and oil.

Policy

METU's Zero Carbon Policy commits the university “to taking the necessary steps to minimize its carbon footprint by 2030 and to realizing its goal of having a carbon-free campus life by 2040”, including “installing solar panels in convenient places such as building roofs and parking areas in order to meet the energy needs of the campus by 100% renewable energy sources”.

METU Energy Management System Policy (document EnYS-PL-01, published 16 April 2024, METU Energy Management Unit): 'We commit to continually improving our performance by making use of renewable energy sources.'

In practice

• METU Strategic Plan 2023–2027, Objective O4.2, sets targets for the renewable energy used on campus: performance indicator PI4.2.5 targets renewable energy used on campus rising from 75 kW at the start of the plan to 1,325 kW in 2025 and 1,825 kW in 2027.

https://sp.metu.edu.tr/system/files/SP_2023-27-ENG.pdf

• In line with this policy, METU heats its buildings with natural gas (9,843,856 m³ in 2025) and generates solar electricity on campus: 810 kWe of rooftop solar power plants on the İsa Demiray, Faika Demiray and Refika Aksoy dormitories, which generated 1,151,589 kWh in 2025 (METU YITDB, 2025 Activity Report), plus 75 kW on the Ayaslı Research Centre and 5.5 kW on the Physics Department roof (METU-GÜNAM test platform) (METU Sustainability Report 2025).

https://sustainablecampus.metu.edu.tr/en/system/files/Sustainability_Report/metu_sr_2025.pdf