Contents
“The Turkish wind industry expects at least 2000 MW of YEKA every year and our recommendation is that the wind YEKA calendar for the next 4 years to be determined today.”
The Turkish wind energy sector, which closed 2024 with an installed capacity of 12,575 Megawatts (MW), made an optimistic start to 2025 with the applications for Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) of 1,200 MW, which started to be received in January. The wind energy sector, which remained well below its potential by providing only a 770 MW installed capacity increase in 2024, expects at least 2,000 MW YEKA competitions to be held each year, the results to be announced and the projects to be put on the field.
Making assessments regarding the current status and future vision of the sector, Chairperson of the Board of Energy Industrialists and Business Association (ENSİA), Alper Kalaycı noted that at least 1 billion 200 million dollars will be invested in the sector with the YEKA competition held by the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources on January 21, and reminded that the sector suffered a loss of blood as a result of the YEKA competition not being held in the last two and a half years. Kalaycı stated that the last tender was managed very well by our Ministry of Energy, was transparent and carried out as planned, and drew attention to the importance of ensuring the continuation of this situation.
The two and a half year break caused blood loss
Kalaycı, who pointed out that hundreds of companies operating in the main and sub-industry formed a large value chain together with the investors who won YEKA competitions, stated that imposing an obligation on investors to use turbines with a high local content will also make a serious contribution to the Turkish wind energy industry.
Emphasizing that all companies operating in the sector expect YEKA to be carried out on a scale of at least 2 thousand MW every year, ENSİA Chairperson Alper Kalaycı made the following assessment:
“Our suggestion is that the YEKA calendar for the next four years be determined and announced to local and foreign investors by our Ministry. If we clarify these dates today, investors will be able to see ahead and make their plans. A wind turbine consists approximately 8 thousand parts and components. Our country did not hold a YEKA competition for a very long time, such as two and a half years, and the sector has almost entered a waiting state.
This year, the sector has become more excited again. If the continuity of these projects is ensured, the manufacturers in the wind energy sector will have a better view of their future planning and new investments. We think that foreign investors will also evaluate this action positively and will be eager for new investments. We also think that domestic and foreign investors in Türkiye will be able to expand their businesses in the production of some components as their foreseeable ideas about YEKA are formed.”
‘’we Can Reach 2035 Targets Easily’’
Alper Kalaycı underlined that it would be easy to achieve Türkiye’s revised wind and solar energy installed power target of 120 thousand MW for 2035 with the right planning. Kalaycı stated that Türkiye has a high potential in wind energy and that 2,500-3 thousand MW of wind energy could be put into operation each year, and that in this case, the domestic market would become attractive.
Kalaycı also reminded that apart from terrestrial wind power plants, there is a target of 5 thousand MW offshore wind energy in 2035, and added that they expect the tender processes to start as soon as possible in this field.
It’s time to act in the offshore wind energy
Alper Kalaycı added that they were particularly proud of ENSİA’s pioneering of the first Industrial Inventory study focusing on offshore wind energy in Türkiye, and continued as follows:
“Our companies operating in the wind industry in Izmir constitute 85 percent of the total turnover of the Turkish wind industry. We are ready to demonstrate this success in the production of offshore wind power plants. The design of the Çandarlı Port and feedback area with a structure focused on the production of wind power plants will enable Türkiye to become the world’s most important production and export center in this field. As the clean energy sector, we believe in this vision of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and support it to the end. We emphasize at every opportunity that these investments will provide great value to our country in terms of employment. Offshore wind energy sector, which have a large mechanism that places orders to many sectors, can provide ten times more employment compared to terrestrial wind energy. Türkiye’s position among the world’s most advanced countries in the shipyard sector is among the factors that reduce the dependency of offshore wind energy on imports in all equipment production and assembly. This advantage makes it possible for all engineering calculations, designs, R&D and construction of all facilities to be built on the sea to be done domestically with the means of Turkish companies.”
Author
Mesut Kul
Rüzgar Enerjisi (Wind Energy)Wind Energy Turkey · Ekim 2026 · Özel EkRead the latest issue free →
