Turkey Installed 4.8 GW Renewable Energy in 2020

• Turkey's renewable energy capacity addition in 2020 was reported at 4.8 GW, mainly supported by renewables
• Solar power capacity contributed only 672 MW in 2020 due to COVID-19 related disruptions
• For 2021, GENSED expects the country to install 1.5 GW solar power capacity backed by 1 GW renewable energy mini tenders to be launched in March 2021

In 2020, the Turkish renewable energy capacity addition was highest for any single year in the country with some 4.8 GW installed, however half of this capacity was contributed by hydropower plants, according to the state run news agency Anadolu Agency (AA).

Most of this capacity came up thanks to the rush to meet December 31, 2020 deadline for Renewable Energy Support Scheme (YEKDEM) which is aimed at encouraging private sector's participation in renewables. It mainly supports wind, solar, biomass and hydropower plants with the sanctioned support for solar being $0.133 per kWh. To offer relief from COVID-19 related impacts, the scheme was extended till June 30, 2021.

The news report quoted Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez as having stated at the end of 2020 that the share of renewables in the country's total power mix reached 51.21%.

In a previous news report, AA quoted Turkish Solar Energy Industry Association GENSED as saying that in 2020 solar energy is expected to have installed 672 MW in 2020 taking its cumulative installed solar power capacity to 6,667 MW at the end of 2020. COVID-19 related disruptions caused the annual capacity addition for solar to decline, it added.

For 2021, GENSED is more hopeful expecting the country to install 1.5 GW PV as it sees solar's share in total electricity generation to grow to over 5%. A boost to solar power will come in the form of 1 GW capacity to be tendered as 74 mini tenders to come up in 36 regions of the country under Renewable Energy Resources Zones (YEKA) scheme. It will be tendered between March 8, 2021 to March 12, 2021. It was previously announced in July 2020 (see 1 GW Solar Power Tender Launched In Turkey).

At the end of 2020, Turkey's total installed power generation capacity reached 95 GW with renewables making up 49.5 GW.

According to SolarPower Europe's Global Market Outlook for Solar Power 2020-2024, Turkey is expected to grow to a cumulative installed solar power capacity of over 13 GW at the end of 2024 in a medium scenario, reflecting 7.15 GW new capacity addition between 2020 and 2024. The solar power industry in Turkey has also been suffering due to the country's financial crisis and dwindling political support for the market, according to the report (see SolarPower Europe Lowers 2020 PV Guidance To 112 GW).