Turkey announced plans to invest $100 billion in renewable energy by 2035. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar outlined this during the Turkish-German Energy Forum. The plan aims to transition the country to a carbon-neutral economy by 2053.
As part of the plan, Turkey will increase its wind and solar energy capacity from the current 31,000 megawatts (MW) to 120,000 MW by 2035. The government also aims to triple its electricity interconnection capacity with Europe. By 2035, it is expected that 77% of Turkey’s electricity will be generated from domestic and renewable sources.
Several recent renewable energy projects are part of this transition. The Karapınar Solar Power Plant is one of the largest solar facilities under development in the region. When fully operational, it will have a capacity of 1.35 gigawatts (GW). Another project is the Yeşilköy Wind Power Plant, which has an installed capacity of 275 MW and contributes to the country’s wind energy goals. Additionally, the Soma Wind Power Plant has added 240 MW of wind energy capacity to Turkey’s energy mix.
Turkey has also made progress in geothermal energy. The Kızıldere Geothermal Power Plant now produces 165 MW of electricity, making it one of the largest geothermal facilities in the country. To support these efforts, the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) recently approved $1 billion in funding for Turkey. This funding will be used to expand renewable energy infrastructure and scale up green energy initiatives.
In addition to renewable energy, the country is investing in nuclear energy. The Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, under construction, is expected to meet 10% of Turkey’s electricity needs. Turkey aims to reach 7.2 GW of nuclear capacity by 2035 and 20 GW by 2050. These projects are part of Turkey’s broader strategy to increase clean energy production and reduce reliance on imported fuels.
