Türkiye surpasses 2025 solar energy target ahead of schedule
Achieving the production mark much before the targeted schedule, Türkiye has saved billions of dollars in its energy imports by democratized the energy producing capacities
ANKARA, Türkiye (MNTV) – 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 published by London-based energy think tank Ember.
The report highlights that this milestone was achieved 1.5 years ahead of schedule, marking a significant step in the country’s renewable energy transition.
Over this period, electricity generation from wind and solar has played a crucial role in reducing gas imports by $15 billion, with solar energy alone contributing 6% of Türkiye’s total electricity supply and avoiding $5.4 billion in gas imports.
The rapid expansion of solar power has been largely driven by unlicensed self-consumption projects, primarily adopted by households and businesses.
Looking ahead, planned investments in rooftop solar, storage-integrated systems, floating solar farms, and hybrid projects are expected to sustain this momentum.
Türkiye is aiming to quadruple its combined wind and solar capacity from 30 gigawatts to 120 gigawatts by 2035, aligning with its long-term energy transition goals.
As of 2024, Türkiye has pre-licensed 14.6 gigawatts of storage-integrated solar capacity, far exceeding its 2030 National Energy Plan target of 2 gigawatts.
The Renewable Energy Resource Zone (YEKA) initiative continues to support capacity expansion, with 5.9 gigawatts already allocated and a further 2-gigawatt tender planned for 2025 to boost both solar and wind energy.
Additionally, floating solar installations on water reservoirs, with an estimated potential of 53 gigawatts, are being explored to optimize land and water use.
While solar capacity has seen remarkable growth, wind energy expansion has slowed, with only 770 megawatts added in 2023, bringing total wind capacity to 12.5 gigawatts—falling short of the Strategic Plan target.
Türkiye’s Long-Term Climate Change Strategy (LTS), introduced at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, sets ambitious 2035 renewable energy targets of 77 gigawatts for solar and 43 gigawatts for wind.
The report suggests that updating Türkiye’s 2025 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reflect these targets would align the country’s renewable energy growth with both electricity demand and global climate commitments.
Bahadir Sercan Gumus, Türkiye energy analyst at Ember, emphasized that the country’s rapid progress in solar energy is a strong indicator of the transformation achievable through effective policies, according to Anadolu Agency (AA).
He further highlighted that raising renewable energy targets and sustaining this growth trajectory would enable Türkiye to reduce its reliance on energy imports, strengthen energy security, and enhance its global standing in the renewable energy sector.
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