Turkey will hold its first-ever offshore wind auctions in the first quarter of 2027. The bidding, set to be officially announced in September, will mark a historic milestone for the country’s energy sector.
Ahead of the auctions, draft specifications have been published on the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources website to gather public feedback.
Key industry stakeholders, investors, and relevant organizations have until August 17 to submit their comments and recommendations, which will be used to finalize the official terms, according to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.
The auctions for state support will be held under the Renewable Energy Resource Zones (REZ) mechanism. It is better known by its Turkish acronym YEKA.
Bayraktar: We do not view offshore wind merely as a new source of energy
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stressed the strategic value of the project and invited both domestic and foreign investors to participate.
“We do not view offshore wind merely as a new source of energy. We see it as a sector that will make a balanced contribution to our supply security, support local industry, and boost qualified employment,” Bayraktar explained.
The initiative sets an ambitious long-term target of reaching 5,000 MW of offshore wind capacity by 2035, a goal he believes could be achieved even earlier.
According to the ministry, Turkey aims to send a strong signal to the international community regarding its commitment to clean energy ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), which will be held in Antalya, Turkey, in November.
Four key offshore sites
Based on research to identify Turkey’s high offshore potential, four key offshore sites have been determined: Saros Bay, Gökçeada, Bozcaada, and an area off the coast of Edremit.
Technical and administrative efforts are progressing as planned to formally declare these four designated sites as offshore wind Renewable Energy Resource Zones (YEKA).
In mid-July, the ministry said that the capacity quota for new solar and wind power auctions would total 2.4 GW and that bids for the 2026 round would be submitted on October 13.
