Türkiye’s Renewable Energy: Record Growth Propels Nation

Türkiye’s renewable energy reached a historic milestone in 2025, with wind and solar power providing more than one-fifth of the nation’s total electricity for the first time. According to the “Türkiye Electricity Outlook 2026” report by international energy think tank Ember, the combined share of wind and solar hit 22%, making Türkiye the only country among 16 nations in the Middle East, Caucasus, and Central Asia to surpass the 20% threshold.

The report highlights that 2025 saw a record-breaking 1.9 gigawatts of new wind capacity installed, while solar generation continued its rapid ascent. This surge has enabled renewable sources to effectively compete with natural gas, whose share of the generation mix has dropped to 22%.

Regional Leadership and European Comparisons

While Türkiye’s renewable energy is outpacing its immediate regional neighbors, it occupies a middle-ground position within the broader European market. Among the 24 European countries with the highest electricity demand, Türkiye ranks:

• 15th in wind energy production.

• 14th in solar energy production.

• 16th in total renewable energy generation.

The Economic Toll of Drought and Fossil Fuel Reliance

Despite the clean energy boom, coal remains Türkiye’s primary power source, accounting for 34% of total generation. The report notes that a lack of new coal plants since 2022 has slowed growth in this sector, but new purchase guarantees for domestic coal may reverse this trend in 2026.

A critical challenge remains the impact of climate change on hydropower. Over the last decade, electricity production at Türkiye’s three largest dams—Atatürk, Karakaya, and Keban—has dropped by 29% compared to the 1996-2005 period. This shortfall is largely replaced by natural gas, resulting in an average annual cost of $1.8 billion in additional gas imports.

European Leader in Battery Storage Projects

Türkiye is positioning itself as a future powerhouse in energy infrastructure, leading all of Europe in the scale of its planned battery storage pipeline. Since the introduction of storage-integrated wind and solar regulations in 2022, Türkiye has reached a project capacity of 33 gigawatts. This massive storage stock—equivalent to 83% of the nation’s current wind and solar capacity—is the largest in any European country, providing a critical buffer for grid security as renewable penetration increases.

As Türkiye prepares to host the COP31 Climate Summit, its progress in Türkiye renewable energy offers a blueprint for regional energy transformation while strengthening national resilience against global fossil fuel crises.

Source: bigpara