2 GW Solar Power To Be Auctioned In 2021 In Turkey

• Turkey's Energy Minister Fatih Donmez has announced his country's plans to auction 4 GW renewable energy in 2021
• It will be divided equally between wind and solar energy with 2 GW each
• Ministry has awarded 650 MW PV capacity out of 1 GW solar tender, and will allocate remaining 350 MW soon

In the year 2021, Turkey is expected to launch renewable energy auctions for 4 GW capacity, divided as 2 GW each for solar and wind power technologies, as part of the country's Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) competitions.

Announcing this was the country's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez while speaking during the 3^rd Energy Summit of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MUSIAD) on May 28, 2021.

The minister did not specify when exactly the auctions will be launched, but said the preference for renewable energy is due to the technologies being cost competitive. However, he made it clear that Turkey will continue to invest in baseload power plants referring to coal, nuclear and gas powered projects.

Reporting the development, Balkan Green Energy News said the projects in these auctions will be divided into 20 MW to 90 MW capacity projects.

Donmez also shared the results of YEKA GES-3 auction concluded in May 2021, where a 1 GW solar tender attracted 9.44 GW capacity from 131 companies (see Turkey's 1 GW Solar PV Tender Receives Over 9 GW Bids).

The ministry awarded 650 MW capacity out of 1 GW tendered to 50 projects for an average price of TRY 0.2242 per kWh (€0.02146 per kWh), and plans to allocate the remaining 350 MW soon.

By the end of April 2021, Donmez said the country's total installed power generation capacity exceeded 97.37 GW with renewable energy accounting for 52.5% of the total. According to Turkish Electricity Commission (TEIAS) statistics assessed by local PV association Gunder, till the end of April 2021 Turkey's total installed PV capacity exceeded 7 GW (see Turkey's Installed Solar Power Capacity Exceeds 7 GW).