Turkey selects its first offshore wind power zones

The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey said studies are underway for four maritime areas that it intends to declare offshore wind power zones under the YEKA support mechanism.

Almost five years after canceling a tender for 1.2 GW, Turkey relaunched an initiative for its first offshore wind parks. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources declared four areas in the northwest to be potential zones for such facilities.

Comprehensive studies are being conducted just off the coast of the Sea of Marmara at Bandırma (1,111 square kilometers), Gelibolu (also known as Gallipoli) – 75.6, and Karabiga (410), and an area north, south and west of the island of Bozcaada, or Tenedos, in the Aegean Sea (299 square kilometers), according to the announcement.

The plan is to include them in the Renewable Energy Resources Area (YEKA) scheme, through which several rounds of auctions for utility-scale renewable energy projects were held since 2017. The ministry also picked six possible locations for onshore wind farms in the Konya province and three in Sivas as well as two sites in Çorum and Şanlıurfa for solar parks.

Cooperation underway with UAE, Saudi Arabia

Turkey and the United Arab Emirates reached a string of deals for the energy sector last month, worth USD 29.7 billion in total, including offshore wind power. In addition, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar recently said Saudi Arabia is interested in a renewable energy project of 4 GW to 5 GW.

The government’s goal is to add 3.5 GW of photovoltaic capacity and 1.5 GW of wind each year through 2035, including an overall 5 GW in offshore wind power, he pointed out.

Turkey has up to 75 GW in offshore wind power potential

Turkey has more than 12 GW in wind power capacity, compared to 105 GW overall for the production of electricity. Renewables make up 55% and the aim is to reach 65% by 2035.

The northwest Aegean has the highest offshore wind potential – up to 6 GW for bottom-fixed turbines and 19 GW for floating machines, according to some estimates. Total potential is said to be 75 GW.