Investments to accelerate renewable transformation in 2026

ISTANBUL

In the new year, energy investments will focus on storage integration, digitalization, efficiency-enhancing technologies and resource diversification, Global Energy Association President Murat Dilek has said, emphasizing that Türkiye’s renewable energy transformation will continue to gain momentum in 2026.

Türkiye maintained — and in some areas strengthened — its momentum in solar and wind energy throughout 2025, Dilek told state-run Anadolu Agency.

Dilek noted that despite economic fluctuations, demand remained strong both in Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) tenders and the unlicensed generation segment in 2025.

In 2025, the renewable energy sector witnessed capacity allocation tenders for wind- and solar-based YEKA projects, accompanied by regulatory measures supporting investments in energy storage.

The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry is working on various methods and business models to unlock the potential of wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable sources.

In addition to projects carried out by the private sector, 3,800 megawatts of wind and solar YEKA capacity allocation tenders were held this year alone. Türkiye also conducted its first YEKA tender for a floating solar power plant.

YEKA projects represent an important step toward reducing Türkiye’s energy import dependence, increasing the share of renewables in electricity generation, expanding clean energy installed capacity and strengthening the domestic industry.

Dilek explained that capacity constraints during the first half of 2025, followed by a complete lack of available capacity, naturally limited unlicensed investments.

“Even so, regulatory support for storage investments brought new excitement to the sector. Surpassing 26.5 gigawatts in solar capacity, exceeding 14.5 gigawatts in wind and the rise of hybrid projects demonstrated Türkiye’s determination in energy transformation to the entire world,” he said.

As 2026 approaches, Dilek underlined that Türkiye’s strong manufacturing capabilities in solar and wind equipment present a major opportunity, even amid economic and capacity uncertainties.

He highlighted the presence of a highly experienced investor base that has spent the past two decades developing solar and wind projects and gaining deep knowledge of their sites.

“These investors have the expertise, field experience and appetite to double Türkiye’s renewable energy capacity in a short time. In wind, we have sites with three-five years of SCADA data and available land for new turbines — so why can’t they be installed? Because there is no capacity. Investors are ready, experience is ready, appetite is ready. The only missing element is new capacity. To use this potential efficiently, new capacity allocations must be opened,” he said.

Dilek added that public institutions have so far acted sensitively and monitored the market closely. “We trust that they will intervene where necessary. Without the public umbrella, none of these investments would exist today,” he noted.