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Renewable energy in Turkey
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Renewable energy in Turkey
Renewables supply a quarter of energy in Turkey, including heat and electricity. Hot water from underground warms many spas and greenhouses, and some houses have rooftop solar water heating. In parts of the west hot rocks are shallow enough to generate electricity as well as heat. Wind turbines, also mainly near western cities and industry, generate a tenth of Turkey’s electricity. Hydropower, mostly from dams in the east, is the only modern renewable energy which is fully exploited. Hydropower averages about a fifth of the country's electricity, but much less in drought years. Apart from wind and hydro, other renewables; such as geothermal, solar and biogas; together generated almost a tenth of Turkey’s electricity in 2022. Over half the installed capacity for electricity generation is renewables.
Turkey has a long history of wood burning, windmills, and bathing in hot springs. Many dams were built from the mid-20th to early 21st century, but some say that governments have not allowed civil society enough influence on energy policy, leading to protests against building dams, geothermal power plants, and at least one wind farm. Despite Turkey’s sunny climate solar power is underdeveloped. As the electricity system is already flexible increasing to 70% renewables is easily feasible.Solar power could be expanded more quickly if the electricity grid was improved faster and energy policy revised, especially by abolishing fossil fuel subsidies.
Many hybrid power plants are planned, and batteries are being integrated. Companies with a lot of renewables include the state electricity generation company (mainly hydro), Aydem, and Kalyon. If renewables could help phase-out coal by 2030, instead of by the national net zero greenhouse gas emissions target year of 2053, that would have significant health benefits and reduce inflation in Turkey. As of 2022 renewables are not sufficient to meet that target year. Various electric vehicles are being manufactured, which will use some of the increased renewable generation and help reduce air pollution. As of 2024, renewables made up 44% of Turkey's electrical power production, consisting of 22% hydro, 8% solar, 11% wind, and 3% other. They are important for the country’s energy security.
Solar power suits Turkey's climate, especially in the South Eastern Anatolia and Mediterranean regions. Solar power is a growing part of renewable energy in the country, with almost 25 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels in 2025, of which 22 GW is commercial and industry rather than traditional power companies or residential rooftop solar as in many other countries. It generates 6% of the country's electricity. Solar thermal is also important.
Despite its similar suitability to solar power, Turkey has installed far less solar power than Spain. Solar power is the cheapest source of power and subsidizes coal and fossil gas power. Every gigawatt of solar power installed would save over US$100 million on gas import costs, and more of the country's electricity might be exported.
Most new solar power is tendered as part of hybrid power plants. Building new solar power plants would be cheaper than running existing import-dependent coal plants if they were not subsidized. However, think tank Ember has listed several obstacles to building utility-scale solar plants, such as insufficient new grid capacity for solar power at transformers, a 50 MW cap for any single solar power plant's installed capacity, and large consumers not allowed to sign long-term power purchase agreements for new solar installations. Ember says there is technical potential for 120 GW of rooftop solar, almost 10 times 2023 capacity, which they say could generate 45% of the country's 2022 demand.
Wind power generates about 10% of Turkey's electricity, mainly in the west in the Aegean and Marmara regions, and is gradually becoming a larger share of renewable energy in the country. As of 2025[update], Turkey has over 13 gigawatts (GW) of wind turbines. The Energy Ministry plans to have almost 30 GW by 2035, including 5 GW offshore.
In 2021, the state-owned Electricity Generation Company (EÜAŞ) had about 20% of the market, and there were many private companies. The highest ever daily share of wind power was 25%, in 2022.
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Renewable energy in Turkey
Renewables supply a quarter of energy in Turkey, including heat and electricity. Hot water from underground warms many spas and greenhouses, and some houses have rooftop solar water heating. In parts of the west hot rocks are shallow enough to generate electricity as well as heat. Wind turbines, also mainly near western cities and industry, generate a tenth of Turkey’s electricity. Hydropower, mostly from dams in the east, is the only modern renewable energy which is fully exploited. Hydropower averages about a fifth of the country's electricity, but much less in drought years. Apart from wind and hydro, other renewables; such as geothermal, solar and biogas; together generated almost a tenth of Turkey’s electricity in 2022. Over half the installed capacity for electricity generation is renewables.
Turkey has a long history of wood burning, windmills, and bathing in hot springs. Many dams were built from the mid-20th to early 21st century, but some say that governments have not allowed civil society enough influence on energy policy, leading to protests against building dams, geothermal power plants, and at least one wind farm. Despite Turkey’s sunny climate solar power is underdeveloped. As the electricity system is already flexible increasing to 70% renewables is easily feasible.Solar power could be expanded more quickly if the electricity grid was improved faster and energy policy revised, especially by abolishing fossil fuel subsidies.
Many hybrid power plants are planned, and batteries are being integrated. Companies with a lot of renewables include the state electricity generation company (mainly hydro), Aydem, and Kalyon. If renewables could help phase-out coal by 2030, instead of by the national net zero greenhouse gas emissions target year of 2053, that would have significant health benefits and reduce inflation in Turkey. As of 2022 renewables are not sufficient to meet that target year. Various electric vehicles are being manufactured, which will use some of the increased renewable generation and help reduce air pollution. As of 2024, renewables made up 44% of Turkey's electrical power production, consisting of 22% hydro, 8% solar, 11% wind, and 3% other. They are important for the country’s energy security.
Solar power suits Turkey's climate, especially in the South Eastern Anatolia and Mediterranean regions. Solar power is a growing part of renewable energy in the country, with almost 25 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels in 2025, of which 22 GW is commercial and industry rather than traditional power companies or residential rooftop solar as in many other countries. It generates 6% of the country's electricity. Solar thermal is also important.
Despite its similar suitability to solar power, Turkey has installed far less solar power than Spain. Solar power is the cheapest source of power and subsidizes coal and fossil gas power. Every gigawatt of solar power installed would save over US$100 million on gas import costs, and more of the country's electricity might be exported.
Most new solar power is tendered as part of hybrid power plants. Building new solar power plants would be cheaper than running existing import-dependent coal plants if they were not subsidized. However, think tank Ember has listed several obstacles to building utility-scale solar plants, such as insufficient new grid capacity for solar power at transformers, a 50 MW cap for any single solar power plant's installed capacity, and large consumers not allowed to sign long-term power purchase agreements for new solar installations. Ember says there is technical potential for 120 GW of rooftop solar, almost 10 times 2023 capacity, which they say could generate 45% of the country's 2022 demand.
Wind power generates about 10% of Turkey's electricity, mainly in the west in the Aegean and Marmara regions, and is gradually becoming a larger share of renewable energy in the country. As of 2025[update], Turkey has over 13 gigawatts (GW) of wind turbines. The Energy Ministry plans to have almost 30 GW by 2035, including 5 GW offshore.
In 2021, the state-owned Electricity Generation Company (EÜAŞ) had about 20% of the market, and there were many private companies. The highest ever daily share of wind power was 25%, in 2022.
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