Türkiye doubles solar power capacity, beats 2025 target
LONDON
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Türkiye has doubled its solar power capacity to over 19 gigawatts in just two and a half years, surpassing its 2025 target by August 2024, according to a report released Tuesday by London-based energy think tank Ember.
The achievement came 18 months ahead of schedule, highlighting the country's rapid advancement in renewable energy.
"Over the past two and a half years, electricity generation from wind and solar has helped avoid $15 billion in gas imports," the report stated.
"Solar alone supplied 6% of the country's total electricity, avoiding $5.4 billion in gas imports."
The remarkable growth in solar capacity has been primarily driven by unlicensed self-consumption projects from households and businesses. Planned investments in diverse solar projects, including rooftop, storage-integrated, floating, and hybrid systems, are expected to maintain this momentum.
Türkiye aims to increase its combined wind and solar energy capacity from 30 gigawatts to 120 gigawatts by 2035. The country has already far exceeded its 2030 National Energy Plan target of 2 gigawatts for storage-integrated solar capacity, with 14.6 gigawatts pre-licensed as of 2024.
The Renewable Energy Resource Zone (YEKA) initiative continues to expand capacity, with 5.9 gigawatts already allocated and a further 2 gigawatt tender planned for solar and wind in 2025. Floating solar installations on water reservoirs, with an estimated potential of 53 gigawatts, are also under consideration.
Despite the solar boom, wind energy growth has slowed, with only 770 megawatts added last year, bringing total wind capacity to 12.5 gigawatts and falling short of the Strategic Plan target.
The Long-Term Climate Change Strategy (LTS) introduced at COP29 in Baku sets ambitious 2035 targets of 77 gigawatts for solar and 43 gigawatts for wind, providing a clear roadmap for scaling up renewables.
Bahadır Sercan Gümüş, Türkiye energy analyst at Ember, said, "By doubling its solar energy capacity in just two and a half years and surpassing its 2025 target ahead of schedule, Türkiye has demonstrated its potential to set more ambitious goals."
He added that raising renewable energy targets and maintaining momentum offers Türkiye the opportunity to reduce its dependence on energy imports, strengthen energy security, and assert its commitment more prominently on the international stage.