The Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies of Potential in Turkey

Abstract

Turkeyis a foreign dependent country in terms of non-renewable fossil fuels, but interms of the renewable energy sources; it has a great potential to meet all itsneeds. Turkey's increasing energy demand because of foreign dependent fossilfuels is making country's economic conditions harsher and harsher. However,Turkey is becoming a center of attraction in the renewable energy sector. Infact, Turkey is the country which has Europe's highest solar energy potential.For example, Turkey's wind energy potential is estimated to be 48000 MW. The totalpotential is estimatedto be 38000 MW on land and 10000on the sea. Turkey, is also a rich country in terms of wind energy. A total of4000 MW of capacity utilization was achieved in the wind power by the Ministryof Energy and Natural Resources in 2017 by the Renewable Energy Resource areastender. According to the data of the Energy Market Regulatory Authority,Turkey's installed capacity of wind power is around 6621 MW. The wind power sector, which started todevelop rapidly after the Law of Renewable Energy’s coming into force in 2005,has grown by an average of 25-30 percenteach year for the last five years. Turkey is also one of the world's richestcountries in terms of geothermal energy sources. The introduction of richgeothermal energy resources in Western Anatolia will make significantcontributions to the national economy. The diversification and growth ofrenewable energy sources will contribute significantly to the national economyas well as the positive environmental impacts (greenhouse effect).