Türkiye, UAE move closer to $1B solar power investment: Energy Minister – Türkiye Today

Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to deepen their strategic cooperation in renewable energy, with a $1 billion joint solar project nearing completion, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on Tuesday.

Bayraktar’s remarks came after he met in Ankara with Mohamed Jameel al-Ramahi, CEO of the UAE’s state-run energy company Masdar, and his delegation to discuss joint energy initiatives.

In a written statement, Bayraktar said Türkiye has reached the final stage of a planned investment to build a 1,100-megawatt solar power plant with energy storage in Bor, a district of Nigde province in central Türkiye. Bayraktar noted that the project will represent one of the largest single renewable investments in the country’s history.

Türkiye, UAE to seal renewable energy cooperation

Bayraktar said the two sides discussed a broad range of opportunities for cooperation, including onshore and offshore wind power, pumped-storage hydropower, high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission lines, and technology transfer.

He added that Türkiye and the UAE aim to formalize and expand their collaboration in renewable projects through an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding.

“We aim to strengthen our infrastructure through partnerships that will support our energy vision, help us achieve our 2053 net-zero target, and establish a model for transformation in our region,” Bayraktar stated.

Türkiye’s growing solar capacity

As of September, Türkiye’s installed solar power capacity reached 24 gigawatts (GWs), with 35,742 solar power plants operating nationwide, according to data from the Turkish Electricity Transmission Corporation. Solar power accounted for 12.39% of Türkiye’s total electricity generation of 29.38 million megawatt-hours (MWh) in September, making it the largest contributor among renewable sources, which together supplied 41.27% of total production.

In addition, 28.9 GW of storage-integrated solar capacity is planned to be commissioned by 2035, as part of the efforts to expand Türkiye’s clean-energy portfolio toward long-term sustainability goals.