The roadmap for renewable energy in 2035 has been unveiled. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced plans to achieve a total installed capacity of 120,000 megawatts in wind and solar energy by 2035. To meet this goal, 2,000 megawatts of wind (RES) and solar (GES) energy auctions will be conducted annually.
First Auction Under the New Model
Sharing details of the new auction model, Minister Bayraktar stated their goal to reduce permitting processes, which currently take up to 48 months, to less than two years. He emphasized the need for a robust and modern infrastructure, aiming to connect Turkey from east to west and north to south with 40,000 megawatts of HVDC corridors.
$108 Billion Investment and Reform Plan
Bayraktar announced a comprehensive investment and reform process totaling $108 billion, calling for all stakeholders to work with a spirit of mobilization to achieve these ambitious goals.
Targets for 2035
At the “Energy Transition–Renewable Energy 2035” launch meeting, Minister Bayraktar outlined Turkey’s renewable energy goals:
⦁ Wind and Solar Energy: Achieving a total installed capacity of 120,000 megawatts by 2035.
⦁ Annual Growth: Adding at least 7,500–8,000 megawatts of new capacity every year.
⦁ Diversification and Digitization: Meeting rising electricity demand through energy diversification and increased digitization.
Record Production in Natural Gas and Oil
Minister Bayraktar highlighted record achievements in natural gas and oil production to enhance energy security:
⦁ Gabar Mountain: Daily production of 51,000 barrels of oil.
⦁ Sakarya Gas Field, Black Sea: Daily production of 7.2 million cubic meters of natural gas, with plans to increase this to 9.1 million cubic meters by 2025.
Five Priorities for Transformation
Bayraktar listed five key priorities for transforming Turkey’s energy sector:
⦁ Natural Gas and Oil Production: Increasing the use of domestic resources.
⦁ Renewable Energy Auctions: Conducting annual 2,000-megawatt wind and solar energy auctions.
⦁ Grid Modernization: Upgrading the electricity grid to “Champions League” standards with 40,000 megawatts of HVDC corridors.
⦁ Diversification and Digitization: Strengthening energy sources and demand-side management through advanced technologies.
⦁ Regional National Champions: Modernizing state enterprises like TEİAŞ, BOTAŞ, and EÜAŞ to make them globally competitive.
Current Status of Renewable Energy
Minister Bayraktar also highlighted Turkey’s current renewable energy capacity:
⦁ 2005: 12,975 megawatts, accounting for 33% of total installed capacity.
⦁ September 2024: 67,400 megawatts, with renewable energy now representing 59% of total capacity.
Super Permits
Bayraktar emphasized plans to accelerate processes like Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) using a super permit mechanism, reducing permitting timelines to less than two years. The first auctions under this new model were also announced:
⦁ October 28: 1,200 megawatts across 5 wind energy projects.
⦁ November 4: 800 megawatts across 6 solar energy projects.
A New Energy Architecture for Turkey
Bayraktar stressed the need for a new energy architecture to keep pace with global transformations, saying, “We are building this new architecture to ensure supply security, reduce dependency on imports, and achieve our 2053 net zero emissions target.” With electricity demand expected to reach 510 terawatt-hours by 2035, a “silent energy revolution” will be necessary to meet these needs.
With these ambitious goals and reforms, Turkey is poised to become a global leader in renewable energy.