Powering tomorrow: Türkiye achieves milestone in renewable energy

On February 12, 2024, Türkiye achieved a significant milestone in its quest for sustainable energy usage by meeting 60 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources. This accomplishment marked a major step forward in the country’s efforts to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, and combat climate crisis.

The success was attributed to a combination of factors, including investments in renewable energy infrastructure, favourable weather conditions for solar and wind energy generation and government initiatives to promote renewable energy development. Türkiye's diverse geography, which includes abundant sunshine and strong winds in certain regions, has also played a crucial role in enabling the country to harness renewable energy sources effectively.

The shift towards renewable energy has not only reduced Türkiye's carbon footprint, but has also contributed to its energy security and economic growth. By investing in renewable energy technologies, Türkiye has created new job opportunities and stimulated innovation in the renewable energy sector.

“The fact that 60 percent of energy production, which Türkiye achieved on February 12, was met from renewable sources, is a result of a very important perspective. In the near future, the percentage share of renewable resources in energy production will exceed this figure,” said Baris Saglam, an energy expert.

“In the last 20 years, the installed capacity of renewable energy has increased from approximately 12,000 megawatts (MW) to 60,000 MW. Türkiye has very important wind, solar and geothermal resources waiting to be developed and used. Sunshine hours are high. In addition to the onshore wind potential, there still is the untapped offshore wind potential,” Saglam added.

“Encouraging renewable energy investments with a stable policy aimed at localising both R&D and production of these technologies, and the global fall in costs of the technology, have led to this outcome. Thus, 99.5 percent of the increase in installed capacity in 2023 was provided by renewable sources.”

Despite these achievements, Türkiye is aware that there is still work to be done to further increase its reliance on renewable energy sources. The government has committed to continue investing in renewable energy projects and implementing policies that support the transition to a more sustainable energy system.

Türkiye has evolved from solely importing renewable energy technology to developing and manufacturing it domestically. It has also become a significant energy supplier to Europe, which faces an energy deficit. Not only does this shift enhance Türkiye's energy security, but also drives its economy by utilising domestic energy resources. While there is still progress to be made, this transformation validates the chosen path.

Slowdown in resource products

Another dimension of this transformation is the slowdown in the export of Türkish resources in order to import energy. Despite ongoing foreign energy dependence, there is a steady decline in the bill, bolstered by rising renewable energy production.

Natural gas and oil, traded in dollars, constitute a significant portion of Türkiye's expenditures. However, excluding gold from the foreign trade deficit, it is expected that the energy share will continue to decrease under current conditions.

Contributing to economy

Thirdly, renewable energy production, equipment manufacturing and related services will contribute to Türkiye's economy, creating added value. Viewing environmental impacts as economic contributions also reduces negative effects on the future of humanity. It is encouraging to note the decreasing negative impacts of coal, and, to some extent, natural gas. This progress forms the foundation of Türkiye's efforts to fulfil its emission and environmental commitments.

According to Saglam, energy storage systems are identified as the most significant breakthrough area and a key determinant in the overall process.

He pointed out that there could be instances when renewable resources might not fulfil our basic electricity production requirements.

“Naturally, there is a steep drop in production when the sun is insufficient due to seasonal, weather conditions and solar cycles, or the wind is insufficient. For example, there is more electricity consumption in the evening hours, but no solar energy is produced at the time,” Saglam said.

During the day, production increases and consumption decreases. Storage systems, which will ensure that the electricity generated is stored during the hours when production is high and transmitted to the grid when consumption increases, are in a breakthrough position that will succeed in eliminating the most important deficiency in renewable energy today,” says Saglam.

He also said that technologically, as the duration of storage increases, there is a notable decrease in the cost of storage. He also anticipates that in the near future, the technological development curve will lead to much more affordable and longer-term storage options.

“This will make it easier not only to move away from fossil fuels, but also to move away from nuclear, which poses fundamental concerns. However, despite all this positive outlook, it will not be possible for countries to completely abandon fossil fuels and nuclear energy in the near future, even for economic security reasons,” Saglam adds.

Türkiye's success in meeting a significant portion of its energy needs from renewable sources, serves as evidence of the country's commitment to sustainable development, and sets a positive example for other nations to follow.