Turkey has taken a significant step toward maintaining its growth targets in renewable energy. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announced that it will add 2,000 megawatts of capacity annually as part of its roadmap to reach 120,000 megawatts of installed capacity by 2035. As part of this, the 2025 Renewable Energy Resource Area (YEKA) competitions have been officially announced.
Turkey to Increase Renewable Energy Capacity
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, speaking at the Wind Energy Congress in Izmir, stated that a total of 2,000 megawatts of capacity will be allocated in November and December. 1,150 megawatts of this allocation will be for wind energy and 850 megawatts for solar energy.
With these tenders, Turkey’s first floating solar power plant is also being built. A 35-megawatt floating solar power plant project is being implemented in the Demirköprü HEPP reservoir area in Manisa. The path for this project was paved last year with an amendment to the Coastal Law.
Minister Bayraktar, recalling the 2035 Renewable Energy Roadmap announced at the COP 29 meeting in Baku, stated that 2,000 megawatts of YEKA competitions will be held annually to reach the designated 120,000 megawatts of installed capacity.
Turkey has increased its installed wind and solar power capacity from almost zero in 2002 to over 37,000 megawatts today. These two sources account for 31 percent of the total installed capacity.
A total of six competitions will be held for wind energy within the scope of the 2025 YEKA competitions, with a total capacity of 1,150 megawatts allocated. These power plants are located in the provinces of Sivas, Balıkesir, Aydın, Denizli, and Kütahya. Project sizes range from 110 megawatts to 500 megawatts.
In solar energy, a total of 10 competitions will offer 850 megawatts of capacity to investors. Installation sites include Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş, Erzurum, Bolu, Eskişehir, Mardin, and Van. The first floating solar power plant, the Demirköprü Floating Solar Power Plant, will have a capacity of 35 megawatts.
The ceiling price in the competitions was set at 5.50 euro cents/kWh. The floor prices were 3.50 euro cents/kWh for wind energy and 3.25 euro cents/kWh for solar energy. Once the floor price is reached, a contribution fee increase of 10,000 euros per megawatt will be applied.
The electricity generated will be sold on the free market for 60 months for solar power plants and 72 months for wind power plants. At the end of this period, a 20-year purchase guarantee will be provided. A minimum domestic content requirement for the equipment used is also required.
