Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

According to the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, renewable energy sources now account for 77,114 megawatts, or 62.5% of the total installed capacity of Turkiye’s electricity sector, AzerNEWS reports.

As of the end of January, solar energy contributed 25,827 megawatts (20.9%), while wind energy accounted for 14,862 megawatts (12.1%). Combined, solar and wind installations reached 40,689 megawatts, representing one-third of the country’s total electricity capacity.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar emphasized Turkiye’s ambitious goals, stating that the country aims to increase the installed capacity of solar and wind power plants to 120,000 megawatts by 2035. “Over the past 23 years, we have quietly revolutionized renewable energy in Turkiye,” Bayraktar said. “We have grown the installed capacity of solar and wind from nearly zero to 40,000 megawatts today, achieving one-third of our 120,000-megawatt target.”

Bayraktar highlighted several strategies to reach this goal, including the Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) program. Last year, Turkiye allocated 3,800 megawatts of electricity through YEKA tenders, attracting strong investor interest. “We plan to organize at least 2,000 megawatts of YEKA tenders annually. Additionally, our industrialists remain interested in solar power plants (SES) for self-consumption. In January, we announced the allocation of 3,500 megawatts for such projects, prioritizing government agencies and strategic sectors.”

The minister also noted that large-scale projects under intergovernmental agreements are underway. Saudi Arabia, for example, will construct solar and wind power plants in Turkiye with a total capacity of 5,000 megawatts. “Thanks to the 2,000-megawatt solar projects signed in the first stage, Turkiye will benefit from some of the cheapest electricity in the country at fixed prices for 25 years. In the near future, we expect to conclude additional bilateral agreements, further increasing installed capacity and ensuring a reliable energy supply,” Bayraktar added.

Turkiye is now among the world leaders in solar and wind energy growth, with solar power alone expanding more than 25,000 megawatts in just two decades. Experts note that Turkiye’s combination of government-backed tenders, industrial self-consumption incentives, and international partnerships could make it a renewable energy hub for both Europe and the Middle East by 2035.