Türkiye advances to rank 11th in global renewable energy capacity

Türkiye has advanced one spot to now rank among the top 11 countries in the world in installed renewable energy capacity, the country’s energy minister said on Wednesday.

“We have entered among the top 11 countries globally in renewable energy and hold the fifth position in Europe,” Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said, citing data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Heavily dependent on imports for energy needs, Türkiye has, over the past years, managed to increase overall power generation while simultaneously cutting coal generation thanks to an aggressive rise in clean power deployment from wind, solar, geothermal and hydro installations.

It injected vast capital to expand and strengthen its infrastructure and energy networks.

Through the power generation from renewables, Türkiye is not only reducing its dependence on imports but also making steady progress toward its 2053 net zero carbon target, Bayraktar said.

“Türkiye is acting with the goal of integrating its solar resources, winds, hydro resources, geothermal resources and all renewable resources into its economy according to a specific program.”

China ranks first, according to IRENA’s renewable capacity statistics for 2024. The U.S. and Brazil follow, alongside India, Germany, Japan, Canada, Spain, France and Italy.

With 58,462 megawatts of installed capacity, Türkiye ranked 11th, followed by Russia, the U.K., Australia and Vietnam. It ranked 12th in the previous ranking.

As part of its energy policy, the country is actively trying to incorporate solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower into its energy mix.

The government policy aims to commission 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity per year, consisting of 3,500 megawatts of solar power and 1,500 megawatts of wind energy.

It eventually aims to reach 60,000 megawatts of new installed power by 2035.

“As of April 2024, we have surpassed 1,400 megawatts. We will definitely reach the 5,000-megawatt target by the end of the year,” Bayraktar said.

He declared that Türkiye’s total installed electricity capacity is 110,000 megawatts, with 25,000 megawatts derived from renewable energy sources.

The target is to increase the current installed capacity of 25,000 megawatts to 30,000 megawatts by the end of the year and 35,000 megawatts by 2025, Bayraktar noted.

The country aims to further expand the capacity to approximately 90,000 megawatts by 2035, he added.

“Every kilowatt-hour of electricity we generate in the renewable context means a reduction in the amount of natural gas, coal, and oil we import,” Bayraktar said.