Solar power in Turkey

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Turkey has a sunny climate, ideal for producing solar power. Solar potential is highest in the south-east of the country, and high-voltage DC transmission from that region to Istanbul has been suggested.{{Cite journal |last1=Acaroğlu |first1=Hakan |last2=García Márquez |first2=Fausto Pedro |date=8 May 2022 |title=A life-cycle cost analysis of High Voltage Direct Current utilization for solar energy systems: The case study in Turkey |journal=Journal of Cleaner Production |language=en |volume=360 |pages=132128 |bibcode=2022JCPro.36032128A |doi=10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132128 |issn=0959-6526 |doi-access=free}} Turkey's average annual solar irradiance is over 1 million terrawatt-hours, that is about 1500 kW·h/(m²·yr) or over 4 kW·h/(m²·d).{{Cite web |title=Solar |url=https://enerji.gov.tr/bilgi-merkezi-enerji-gunes-en |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124001529/https://enerji.gov.tr/bilgi-merkezi-enerji-gunes-en |archive-date=24 January 2021 |access-date=12 September 2020 |website=Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources}} Covering less than 5% of the country's land area with solar panels would provide all the energy needed.{{Cite web|title=The Sky's the Limit: Solar and wind energy potential|url=https://carbontracker.org/reports/the-skys-the-limit-solar-wind/|access-date=1 May 2021|website=Carbon Tracker Initiative|archive-date=30 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430223710/https://carbontracker.org/reports/the-skys-the-limit-solar-wind/|url-status=live}} Solar power may also be preferable to other renewable energy sources such as wind power and hydroelectricity because wind speed and rainfall can be low in summer, which is when demand peaks due to air conditioning.{{Cite web |last=O'Byrne |first=David |date=9 August 2021 |title=Turkey faces double whammy as low hydro aligns with gas contract expiries |url=https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/080921-turkey-faces-double-whammy-as-low-hydro-aligns-with-gas-contract-expiries |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220317085048/https://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/market-insights/latest-news/electric-power/080921-turkey-faces-double-whammy-as-low-hydro-aligns-with-gas-contract-expiries |archive-date=17 March 2022 |access-date=17 March 2022 |website=S & P Global |language=en}}

Turkey has a significant potential for generating energy from solar power compared to nearby countries in Europe; however, in terms of solar capacity per capita, it lags behind European leaders such as Spain and Italy, as well as countries with far inferior solar potential, such as Germany and the Netherlands.{{Cite journal |last1=Çeçen |first1=Mehmet |last2=Yavuz |first2=Cenk |last3=Tırmıkçı |first3=Ceyda Aksoy |last4=Sarıkaya |first4=Sinan |last5=Yanıkoğlu |first5=Ertan |date=7 January 2022 |title=Analysis and evaluation of distributed photovoltaic generation in electrical energy production and related regulations of Turkey |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02247-0 |journal=Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy |language=en |volume=24 |issue=5 |pages=1321–1336 |bibcode=2022CTEP...24.1321C |doi=10.1007/s10098-021-02247-0 |issn=1618-9558 |pmc=8736286 |pmid=35018170}}{{Cite web |date=February 2020 |title=Turkey take the winding road to solar success |url=https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/knowledge/publications/4e5c0606/turkey-take-the-winding-road-to-solar-success |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=Norton Rose Fulbright |language=en}} Turkey's total generation ranks it thirteenth globally in solar power by country, but its per capita solar capacity is thirty-ninth.

Solar water heating has been commonplace in Turkey since the 1970s, but the first licences for solar electricity generation were not granted until 2014. Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), said that in 2021 less than 3% of solar potential was being used.{{Cite web |date=22 January 2022 |title=Non-hydro renewables overtake hydro for first time |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/non-hydro-renewables-overtake-hydro-for-first-time-170949 |access-date= |website=Hürriyet Daily News |language=en}}

The country plans to increase capacity to almost 53 GW by 2035.{{Cite web |title=Türkiye to increase energy investments with zero emission target |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkiye-to-increase-energy-investments-with-zero-emission-target-180261 |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=Hürriyet Daily News |date=21 January 2023 |language=en}} Systems producing over 5 megawatts (MW) of power must be licensed by the Energy Market Regulatory Authority if they feed into the grid.

Since 2021 feed-in tariffs for new installations have been in lira (but are maximum about US$0.05 per kWh) and set by the president,{{Cite web |title=Amendments In The Law On Utilization Of Renewable Energy Sources For The Purpose Of Generating Electrical Energy |url=https://www.mondaq.com/turkey/renewables/1014560/amendments-in-the-law-on-utilization-of-renewable-energy-sources-for-the-purpose-of-generating-electrical-energy |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220219140035/https://www.mondaq.com/turkey/renewables/1014560/amendments-in-the-law-on-utilization-of-renewable-energy-sources-for-the-purpose-of-generating-electrical-energy |archive-date=19 February 2022 |access-date=26 December 2020 |website=Mondaq}} but the 10-year period has been criticised as too short.{{Cite journal|last1=Kılıç|first1=Uğur|last2=Kekezoğlu|first2=Bedri|date=1 September 2022|title=A review of solar photovoltaic incentives and Policy: Selected countries and Turkey|journal=Ain Shams Engineering Journal|language=en|volume=13|issue=5|pages=101669|doi=10.1016/j.asej.2021.101669|s2cid=246212766|issn=2090-4479|doi-access=free}} In 2022 there are many applications for hybrid solar and wind licences.{{Cite web|date=6 January 2022|title=2021 was record year for annual wind installations in Turkey|url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/2021-was-record-year-for-annual-wind-installations-in-turkey/|access-date=21 January 2022|website=Balkan Green Energy News|language=en-US|archive-date=21 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220121144631/https://balkangreenenergynews.com/2021-was-record-year-for-annual-wind-installations-in-turkey/|url-status=live}} {{As of|2022}} there are 9 renewable energy cooperatives;{{Cite news |title=Türkiye'deki güneş enerjisi kooperatifleri, ithal enerji yüküne ne kadar çözüm olabilir? |language=tr |trans-title=How much can solar energy cooperatives in Turkey relieve the imported energy burden? |work=BBC News Türkçe |url=https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-dunya-61423479 |access-date=14 May 2022}} it has been suggested that agricultural energy cooperatives would be profitable if farmers had more loans and technical help to establish them.{{Cite journal|last=Everest|first=Bengü|date=15 March 2021|title=Willingness of farmers to establish a renewable energy (solar and wind) cooperative in NW Turkey |journal=Arabian Journal of Geosciences|language=en|volume=14|issue=6|pages=517|doi=10.1007/s12517-021-06931-9|issn=1866-7538|pmc=7956873|bibcode=2021ArJG...14..517E }} Another state aid model in support of solar power is the so-called "YEKA" (abbreviation for "Yenilenebilir Enerji Kaynak Alanları", Renewable Energy Source Areas) model, prioritizing local content manufacturing or use.{{Citation |last=Cagdas Artantas |first=Onur |title=Green Electricity Promotion in Turkey |date=2023 |work=Promotion of Green Electricity in Germany and Turkey: A Comparison with Reference to the WTO and EU Law |series=European Yearbook of International Economic Law |volume=33 |pages=169–187 |editor-last=Cagdas Artantas |editor-first=Onur |url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-44760-0_7 |access-date=2024-09-08 |place=Cham |publisher=Springer Nature Switzerland |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-3-031-44760-0_7 |isbn=978-3-031-44760-0|url-access=subscription }} A successful application of the YEKA was the "Karapınar Solar Energy Plant" in Konya, with 1.000 MWe installed capacity.{{Cite web |title=Karapınar Güneş Enerji Santrali |url=https://www.enerjiatlasi.com/gunes/karapinar-yeka-11.html#:~:text=Kalyon%20Holding%20Enerji%20Grubu%20firmas%C4%B1na,marka%20fotovoltaik%20g%C3%BCne%C5%9F%20paneli%20kullan%C4%B1lm%C4%B1%C5%9Ft%C4%B1r. |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=Enerji Atlası |language=tr-TR}}

According to think tank Ember, building new wind and solar power is cheaper than running existing coal plants which depend on imported coal. But they say that there are obstacles to building utility-scale solar, such as lack of new capacity allocated for solar power at transformers, a 50 MW cap for any single solar power plant's installed capacity, and large consumers being unable to sign long-term power purchase agreements for new unlicensed solar installations. Ember recommend that rooftop solar should be obligatory on new buildings in Turkey. Owners of these small unlicensed installations can sell to the grid at the same price as they buy.

File:Ember Turkey electricity.jpg

As in many countries for many types of variable renewable energy, from time to time the government invites companies to tender sealed bids to construct a certain capacity of solar power to connect to certain electricity substations. By accepting the lowest bid the government commits to buy at that price per kWh for a fixed number of years, or up to a certain total amount of power. This provides certainty for investors against highly volatile wholesale electricity prices.{{Cite web |date=28 July 2021 |title=Renewable Energy Auctions Toolkit {{!}} Energy |url=https://www.usaid.gov/energy/auctions |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721024501/https://www.usaid.gov/energy/auctions |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 July 2020 |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=USAID |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=10 November 2021 |title=Feed-In Tariffs vs Reverse Auctions: Setting the Right Subsidy Rates for Solar |url=https://development.asia/insight/feed-tariffs-vs-reverse-auctions-setting-right-subsidy-rates-solar |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=Development Asia |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Government hits accelerator on low-cost renewable power |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-hits-accelerator-on-low-cost-renewable-power |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=UK government |language=en}} However they may still risk exchange rate volatility if they borrowed in foreign currency.{{Cite web |title=Currency Risk Is the Hidden Solar Project Deal Breaker |url=https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/currency-risk-is-the-hidden-solar-project-deal-breaker |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=greentechmedia.com}} For example as Turkey does not have enough solar cell manufacturing capacity they would likely be bought from China and so would have to be paid for in foreign currency.{{Cite web |title=Regional distribution of solar module production |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/668749/regional-distribution-of-solar-pv-module-manufacturing/ |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=Statista |language=en}} In 22/23 a third of solar cell exports from China went to Turkey.{{cite web | url=https://ember-climate.org/insights/research/china-solar-exports/ | title=Solar exports from China increase by a third | date=13 September 2023 }} However they are subject to tariffs.{{Cite web |last=Abernethy |first=Brad |date=2024-03-25 |title=Turkey introduces duties on PV module imports from 5 countries |url=https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/03/25/turkey-introduces-duties-on-pv-module-imports-from-5-countries/ |access-date=2024-07-13 |website=pv magazine International |language=en-US}}

In 2021 prices at these "solar auctions" were similar to or lower than average wholesale electricity prices, and large-scale solar for companies own use is also competitive; but macroeconomic challenges and exchange rate volatility are causing uncertainty.{{Cite web |title=Renewables 2021 – Analysis |date=December 2021 |url=https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203005251/https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2021 |archive-date=3 December 2021 |access-date=3 December 2021 |publisher=International Energy Agency |language=en-GB}}{{Rp|page=63}} Installation costs are low{{Cite web |title=Turkey |url=https://climateactiontracker.org/countries/turkey/ |access-date=1 May 2022 |website=climateactiontracker.org |language=en}} and according to the Turkish Solar Energy Industry Association the industry provides jobs for 100,000 people.{{Cite web |last=Sırt |first=Timur |date=18 March 2022 |title=Technology, retail giants embrace solar power |url=https://www.dailysabah.com/business/tech/technology-retail-giants-embrace-solar-power |access-date=21 March 2022 |website=Daily Sabah |language=en-US}} As part of the fourth round of solar auctions which are planned to total 1000 MW in lots of 50 MW and 100 MW, in April 2022 three lots of 100 MW were auctioned at prices around 400 lira per MWh,{{Cite web |date=8 April 2022 |title=YEKA GES 4 Yarışma Sonuçları-8 Nisan 2022 – Güneş |url=https://www.solar.ist/yeka-ges-4-yarisma-sonuclari-8-nisan-2022/ |access-date=17 April 2022 |website=Solarist – Güneş Enerjisi Portalı |language=tr}} around 25 euros at the exchange rate at that time.{{Cite web |date=11 April 2022 |title=Turkey completes solar power auction for 300 MW |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/turkey-completes-solar-power-auction-for-300-mw/ |access-date=17 April 2022 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}} The tender included a 60% foreign exchange weight clause, which partly protects against currency volatility, and selling on the open market is also allowed.{{Cite web |title=Terms of Reference regarding the YEKA-GES-4 Auction are Changed |url=https://gonen.com.tr/terms-of-reference-regarding-the-yeka-ges-4-auction-are-changed/ |access-date=17 April 2022 |website=gonen.com.tr}}

Modelling by Carbon Tracker indicates that new solar power will become cheaper than all existing coal plants by 2023.{{Cite web |title=Global Coal Power Economics Model Methodology |url=https://carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Global_Coal_Methodology_Vwebsite2.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321192104/https://carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Global_Coal_Methodology_Vwebsite2.pdf |archive-date=21 March 2020 |access-date=21 January 2022 |website=Carbon Tracker}}{{Cite web |year=2020 |title=Wind vs Coal power in Turkey/Solar PV vs Coal in Turkey |url=https://carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Maps_5_Logo.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318021148/https://carbontracker.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Maps_5_Logo.pdf |archive-date=18 March 2020 |access-date=21 January 2022 |website=Carbon Tracker}} According to a May 2022 report from think tank Ember wind and solar saved 7 billion dollars on gas imports in the preceding 12 months.{{Cite web |date=24 May 2022 |title=Turkey: Wind and solar saved $7 bn in 12 months |url=https://ember-climate.org/insights/research/turkey-wind-and-solar-saved-7-bn-in-12-months/ |access-date=26 May 2022 |website=Ember |language=en-US}} Every gigawatt of solar power installed would save over US$100 million on gas import costs. According to a 2022 study by Shura almost all coal power could be replaced by renewables (mainly solar) by 2030.{{Cite web |date=28 April 2022 |title=Integration of Renewable Energy into the Turkish Electricity System |url=https://shura.org.tr/en/integration-of-renewable-energy-into-the-turkish-electricity-system/ |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=Shura |language=en-US}} Export of solar power could increase together eventually with hydrogen produced by clean electricity.{{Cite web |last=Chandak |first=Pooja |date=4 May 2022 |title=Turkey is Very Important for Energy Diversification plans of the European Union Says EU Minister |url=https://solarquarter.com/2022/05/04/turkey-is-very-important-for-energy-diversification-plans-of-the-european-union-says-eu-minister/ |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=SolarQuarter |language=en-GB}} Operation and maintenance costs of concentrated solar power is about 2 UScent/kWh.{{Cite web |title=Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2021 |url=https://irena.org/publications/2022/Jul/Renewable-Power-Generation-Costs-in-2021 |access-date=26 July 2022 |website=/publications/2022/Jul/Renewable-Power-Generation-Costs-in-2021 |date=13 July 2022 |language=en |archive-date=10 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240710162259/https://www.irena.org/publications/2022/Jul/Renewable-Power-Generation-Costs-in-2021 |url-status=dead }}{{Rp|page=132}} As well as reducing electricity prices, above a certain level increasing solar power tends to stabilize them.{{cite web | url=https://openaccess.hacettepe.edu.tr/handle/11655/33979 | title=Evolution of Electricity Markets from the Perspective of Production and Organized Markets | date=19 September 2023 | last1=Peker | first1=Mustafa Çağrı }}

In 2023 a standard module made in Turkey cost about 40 uscents compared to about 25 elsewhere.{{cite web | url=https://www.pv-magazine.com/2023/05/13/weekend-read-a-manufacturing-bridge-between-europe-and-asia/ | title=Weekend Read: A manufacturing bridge between Europe and Asia | date=13 May 2023 }}

Sales of vacuum tube hot water systems have exceeded flat-plate collectors since 2019.{{Cite web |year=2021 |title=Turkey Country Report |url=https://www.iea-shc.org/countries/turkey/report |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=International Energy Agency Solar heating and cooling}}{{Rp|page=139}} Vacuum tubes are more efficient for households than flat plate.{{Cite journal |last1=Siampour |first1=Leila |last2=Vahdatpour |first2=Shoeleh |last3=Jahangiri |first3=Mehdi |last4=Mostafaeipour |first4=Ali |last5=Goli |first5=Alireza |last6=Shamsabadi |first6=Akbar Alidadi |last7=Atabani |first7=Abdulaziz |date=1 February 2021 |title=Techno-enviro assessment and ranking of Turkey for use of home-scale solar water heaters |journal=Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments |language=en |publisher=Elsevier |volume=43 |pages=100948 |doi=10.1016/j.seta.2020.100948 |issn=2213-1388 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2021SETA...4300948S }} Turkey is second in the world in solar water heating collector capacity after China,{{Cite web|title=Renewables Global Status Report|url=https://www.ren21.net/reports/global-status-report/|website=REN21|access-date=30 September 2020|archive-date=24 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524023106/http://www.ren21.net/status-of-renewables/global-status-report/|url-status=live}}{{Rp|page=41}} with about 26 million square metres generating 1.15 million tonnes of oil equivalent heat energy each year. About two-thirds is residential and a third industrial. Installed domestic hot water systems are typically convection without pumping, with 2 flat plate collectors, each nearly 2 m². Solar combi (space and water heating backed up by gas) is starting to be installed in villas and hotels.

The industry is well developed for hot water with high quality manufacturing and export capacity, but less so for space heating, and is hampered by subsidies for coal heating.{{cite journal |date=February 2019 |title=Turkey 2019 |journal=Environmental Performance Reviews |series=OECD Environmental Performance Reviews |publisher=OECD |doi=10.1787/9789264309753-en |isbn=978-92-64-30974-6 |s2cid=242969625}}{{Rp|page=36}} A 2018 study found that solar water heating saved on average 13% energy and increased the value of properties.{{Cite journal |last1=Aydin |first1=Erdal |last2=Eichholtz |first2=Piet |last3=Yönder |first3=Erkan |date=1 September 2018 |title=The economics of residential solar water heaters in emerging economies: The case of Turkey |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988318302883 |url-status=live |journal=Energy Economics |language=en |volume=75 |pages=285–299 |doi=10.1016/j.eneco.2018.08.001 |bibcode=2018EneEc..75..285A |issn=0140-9883 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612231554/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988318302883 |archive-date=12 June 2020 |access-date=3 January 2021 |s2cid=158839915}}

In 2021 the IEA recommended that the Turkish government should support solar water heating because "technology and infrastructure quality needs to improve significantly to maximise its potential".

Solar heating is also used for agriculture in Turkey, for example drying produce with solar air heaters.

File:KarabukGES.jpg{{Cite web |title=Renewable Energy Engineering, Research and Applications Center |url=https://yemmer.karabuk.edu.tr/en |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=Karabük University}}]]

File:Photovoltaics Installed Capacity and Production in Turkey.svg

Photovoltaics (PV) growth was supported by the government during the 2010s. Monthly average efficiencies are from 12–17% depending on tilt and climate type; specific yield decreases with elevation.{{Cite journal |last=Ozden |first=Talat |date=14 January 2022 |title=A countrywide analysis of 27 solar power plants installed at different climates |journal=Scientific Reports |language=en |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=746 |doi=10.1038/s41598-021-04551-7 |pmid=35031638 |pmc=8760320 |bibcode=2022NatSR..12..746O |issn=2045-2322}} In 2020 solar cell manufacturing started in Turkey,{{Cite news |last1=Bir |first1=Burak |last2=Aliyev |first2=Jeyhun |date=5 July 2020 |title=Turkey to open 1st domestic solar panel factory in Aug. |publisher=Anadolu Agency |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/turkey-to-open-1st-domestic-solar-panel-factory-in-aug/1900492 |url-status=live |access-date=6 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707080649/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/economy/turkey-to-open-1st-domestic-solar-panel-factory-in-aug/1900492 |archive-date=7 July 2020}} and in 2022 Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Dönmez claimed that Turkey could assemble enough solar panels annually to produce 8 GW of power.{{Cite web |date=6 May 2022 |title=Dönmez: Turkey is world's No. 4 solar panel producer |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/donmez-turkey-is-worlds-no-4-solar-panel-producer/ |access-date=9 May 2022 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}} Industry sometimes uses its own solar power for processes which need a lot of electricity, such as electrolysis.{{Cite web |date=2 February 2022 |title=Turkish aluminum producer building solar power plants to reach net zero emissions |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/turkish-aluminum-producer-building-solar-power-plants-to-reach-net-zero-emissions/ |access-date=7 March 2022 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US |archive-date=8 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308202228/https://balkangreenenergynews.com/turkish-aluminum-producer-building-solar-power-plants-to-reach-net-zero-emissions/ |url-status=live }} {{As of|2020|}}, unlike in the EU, obsolete solar panels are not classified as electronic waste and recycling criteria are not defined.{{Cite journal|last1=Erat|first1=Selma|last2=Telli|first2=Azime|year=2020|title=Within the global circular economy: A special case of Turkey towards energy transition|journal=MRS Energy & Sustainability|language=en|volume=7|issue=1 |page=24 |doi=10.1557/mre.2020.26|issn=2329-2229|doi-access=free|pmid=38624537 |pmc=7849225}} Solar PV has been suggested at public charging stations.{{Cite journal |last1=Turan |first1=Mehmet Tan |last2=Gökalp |first2=Erdin |date=1 March 2022 |title=Integration Analysis of Electric Vehicle Charging Station Equipped with Solar Power Plant to Distribution Network and Protection System Design |journal=Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology |language=en |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=903–912 |doi=10.1007/s42835-021-00927-x |bibcode=2022JEET...17..903T |s2cid=244615183 |issn=2093-7423|doi-access=free }} Turkey's greenhouse gas emissions attributable to solar PV are estimated at around 30 g Co2eq/kWh for utility scale and 30–60 g for rooftop;{{Cite journal |last=Kursun |first=Berrin |date=9 April 2022 |title=Role of solar power in shifting the Turkish electricity sector towards sustainability |journal=Clean Energy |publisher=Oxford University Press |doi=10.1093/ce/zkac002|volume=6|issue=2|pages=1078–1089}} emissions for coal and natural gas are over 1000 g and about 400 g respectively.

The largest solar farm is Karapınar, which started generation in 2020 and is planned to exceed 1 GW by the end of 2022.{{Cite web |date=23 September 2021 |title=GE Renewable Energy and Kalyon to power Turkey with 1.3 GW solar projects |url=https://www.trmonitor.net/ge-renewable-energy-and-kalyon-to-power-turkey-with-1-3-gw-solar-projects/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210926163400/https://www.trmonitor.net/ge-renewable-energy-and-kalyon-to-power-turkey-with-1-3-gw-solar-projects/ |archive-date=26 September 2021 |access-date=26 September 2021 |website=TR MONITOR |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Category A project supported: Kaparinar Yeka (Kalyon) Solar Power Plant, Turkey |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/category-a-project-supported-kaparinar-yeka-kalyon-solar-power-plant-turkey/category-a-project-supported-kaparinar-yeka-kalyon-solar-power-plant-turkey |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307105254/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/category-a-project-supported-kaparinar-yeka-kalyon-solar-power-plant-turkey/category-a-project-supported-kaparinar-yeka-kalyon-solar-power-plant-turkey |archive-date=7 March 2022 |access-date=7 March 2022 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} If a solar power plant is not cleaned for a year it can lose over 5% efficiency.{{Cite journal |last1=Şevik |first1=Seyfi |last2=Aktaş |first2=Ahmet |date=1 January 2022 |title=Performance enhancing and improvement studies in a 600kW solar photovoltaic power plant; manual and natural cleaning, rainwater harvesting and the snow load removal on the PV arrays |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096014812101377X |journal=Renewable Energy |language=en |volume=181 |pages=490–503 |doi=10.1016/j.renene.2021.09.064 |bibcode=2022REne..181..490S |issn=0960-1481 |s2cid=239336676|url-access=subscription }} Environmental groups say that half of opencast mines for brown coal (lignite) in Turkey could be converted to 13 GW of solar farms (some with battery storage) generating 19 TWh per year, as much of the electrical infrastructure is already in place for the 10 GW of the 22 adjacent lignite-fired power stations.{{Cite web |date=23 March 2022 |title=Turkey's open-cast coal mines can host enough solar to power almost seven million homes |url=https://beyond-coal.eu/2022/03/23/study-shows-turkeys-coal-mines-can-host-enough-solar-to-power-almost-7-million-homes-2/ |access-date=24 March 2022 |website=Europe Beyond Coal |language=en-US}} Aluminium producers favour solar as they use a lot of electricity for electrolysis.{{Cite web |last=Todorović |first=Igor |date=2 February 2022 |title=Turkish aluminum producer building solar power plants to reach net zero emissions |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/turkish-aluminum-producer-building-solar-power-plants-to-reach-net-zero-emissions/ |website=Balkan Green Energy News}}

{{As of|2022}} there is about 1 GW of rooftop solar,{{Cite web |title=GÜNDER Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Kaleli: Çatı tipi güneş santrali pazarında başvuru sayısı 2 bini geçti |trans-title=Solar Association Chairman Kaleli: More than 2000 solar rooftop applications |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/gunder-yonetim-kurulu-baskani-kaleli-cati-tipi-gunes-santrali-pazarinda-basvuru-sayisi-2-bini-gecti-/1762236 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307124327/https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/ekonomi/gunder-yonetim-kurulu-baskani-kaleli-cati-tipi-gunes-santrali-pazarinda-basvuru-sayisi-2-bini-gecti-/1762236 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |access-date=7 March 2022 |publisher=Anadolu Agency |language=tr}} companies are installing a lot,{{Cite news |date=1 December 2022 |title=Turkish Companies Go Solar at Record Pace to Cut Energy Costs |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-01/turkey-solar-panel-demand-booms-as-companies-avoid-rising-power-costs |access-date=3 December 2022}} and the government is aiming for 2–4 GW by the early 2030s.{{Cite web |title=Solar photovoltaics in CEE: Prospects for installation & utilization |url=https://cms.law/en/srb/publication/prospects-for-installation-and-utilization-of-rooftop-solar-photovoltaics-in-the-cee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307122932/https://cms.law/en/srb/publication/prospects-for-installation-and-utilization-of-rooftop-solar-photovoltaics-in-the-cee |archive-date=7 March 2022 |access-date=7 March 2022 |website=cms.law |language=en}} If total electricity generated by solar panels exceeds 50% of the capacity of the local distribution transformer no more will be approved in that area.

The limit for a household is 10 kW. The payback period is very long because electricity from the grid to householders is subsidised a lot. {{As of|2019}}, the payback period of rooftop solar with net metering for homeowners and businesses was estimated at 11 years; removal of VAT and the fixed government approval fee, and attaching borrowing for installation to the property's mortgage has been suggested to shorten this.{{Cite web |last1=Flora |first1=Arjun |last2=Özenç |first2=Bengisu |last3=Wynn |first3=Gerard |date=December 2019 |title=New Incentives Brighten Turkey's Rooftop Solar Sector |url=https://ieefa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/New-Incentives-Brighten-Turkey-Rooftop-Solar-Sector_December-2019.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221160308/https://ieefa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/New-Incentives-Brighten-Turkey-Rooftop-Solar-Sector_December-2019.pdf |archive-date=21 December 2019 |access-date=21 December 2019 |website=Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis}}

In general non-residential grid power is more expensive than residential, so the payback period is much shorter. From 2023 new buildings larger than 5,000 square meters will have to generate at least five per cent of their energy from renewables.{{Cite web |date=20 February 2022 |title=Buildings to be required to use renewable energy |url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/buildings-to-be-required-to-use-renewable-energy-171662 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307125240/https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/buildings-to-be-required-to-use-renewable-energy-171662 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |access-date=7 March 2022 |website=Hürriyet Daily News}} A 2021 study in Ankara found far more rooftop potential for public and commercial buildings than residential.{{Cite journal |last1=Kutlu |first1=Elif Ceren |last2=Durusoy |first2=Beyza |last3=Ozden |first3=Talat |last4=Akinoglu |first4=Bulent G. |date=1 February 2022 |title=Technical potential of rooftop solar photovoltaic for Ankara |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148121017997 |journal=Renewable Energy |language=en |volume=185 |pages=779–789 |doi=10.1016/j.renene.2021.12.079 |bibcode=2022REne..185..779K |issn=0960-1481 |s2cid=245392035|url-access=subscription }} The study also suggested increasing technical potential by suitable roof design in new buildings. Solar PV used with heat pumps may be able to make buildings zero energy in the Mediterranean Region.{{Cite journal |last1=Zaferanchi |first1=Mahdiyeh |last2=Sozer |first2=Hatice |date=1 January 2022 |title=Effectiveness of interventions to convert the energy consumption of an educational building to zero energy |url=https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBPA-08-2021-0114 |journal=International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation |volume=42 |issue=4 |pages=485–509 |publisher=Emerald Publishing Limited |doi=10.1108/IJBPA-08-2021-0114 |issn=2398-4708 |s2cid=247355490|url-access=subscription }} Aluminium producer {{ill|Tosyalı|tr|Tosyalı Holding}} claimed in 2022 to be installing the world's largest rooftop solar power system on the roofs of its buildings.{{Cite web |date=23 March 2022 |title=Turkish aluminum producer Tosyalı launches world's biggest rooftop solar project |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/turkish-aluminum-producer-tosyali-launches-worlds-biggest-rooftop-solar-project/ |access-date=17 April 2022 |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}}

Farmers are financially supported to install solar panels, for example to power irrigation pumps, and can sell some electricity.{{Cite web |last=Todorović |first=Igor |date=18 March 2022 |title=Turkey to grant 40% to farmers for solar power systems – report |url=https://balkangreenenergynews.com/turkey-to-grant-40-to-farmers-for-solar-power-systems-report/ |access-date= |website=Balkan Green Energy News |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Son dakika… Bakan Nebati: 15 yılda tamamlanacak projeleri 2 yılda bitireceğiz |url=https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/ekonomi/son-dakika-bakan-nebatiden-onemli-aciklamalar-42026875 |access-date=23 March 2022 |website=Hürriyet |date=21 March 2022 |language=tr}} Agrivoltaics has been suggested as suitable for wheat,{{Cite journal |last1=Parkinson |first1=Simon |last2=Hunt |first2=Julian |date=14 July 2020 |title=Economic Potential for Rainfed Agrivoltaics in Groundwater-Stressed Regions |url=https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00349 |journal=Environmental Science & Technology Letters |language=en |volume=7 |issue=7 |pages=525–531 |doi=10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00349 |bibcode=2020EnSTL...7..525P |s2cid=225824571 |issn=2328-8930}} maize and some other shade-loving vegetables.{{Cite journal |last=Atıl Emre |first=Coşgun |date=16 June 2021 |title=The potential of Agrivoltaic systems in Turkey |journal=Energy Reports |language=en |volume=7 |pages=105–111 |doi=10.1016/j.egyr.2021.06.017 |issn=2352-4847 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2021EnRep...7..105C }} Hybrid solar and biogas has been suggested, for example on dairy farms.{{Cite journal |last1=Kirim |first1=Yavuz |last2=Sadikoglu |first2=Hasan |last3=Melikoglu |first3=Mehmet |date=1 April 2022 |title=Technical and economic analysis of biogas and solar photovoltaic (PV) hybrid renewable energy system for dairy cattle barns |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148122002300 |journal=Renewable Energy |language=en |volume=188 |pages=873–889 |doi=10.1016/j.renene.2022.02.082 |bibcode=2022REne..188..873K |issn=0960-1481 |s2cid=247114342|url-access=subscription }} Rainwater harvesting has been suggested.

File:Mersin CSP field.jpg in Mersin is the only solar power tower in the country|alt=Distant view from a high point of a hill with concentric rows of mirrors most of the way around a slim tower]]

Mehmet Bulut of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources suggested in 2021 that concentrated solar power (CSP) could be co-located with photovoltaics in the south-east.{{Cite journal |last=Bulut |first=Mehmet |date=19 July 2021 |title=Integrated solar power project based on CSP and PV technologies for Southeast of Turkey |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/15435075.2021.1954006 |url-status=live |journal=International Journal of Green Energy |publisher=Informa UK Limited |pages=603–613|volume=19|issue=6 |doi=10.1080/15435075.2021.1954006 |issn=1543-5075 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318202918/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15435075.2021.1954006 |archive-date=18 March 2022 |access-date=24 January 2022 |s2cid=237718860|url-access=subscription }} CSP systems generate electricity by using lenses or mirrors to reflect the sun's rays onto a central receiver, which converts the light into heat, which in turn is converted to electricity. Turkey's first solar power tower, the Greenway CSP Mersin Solar Tower Plant in Mersin, was constructed in 2013 and has an installed power of 5 MW.{{cite news |last=Benmayor |first=Gila |date=23 April 2013 |title=Solar tower at Mersin |newspaper=Hürriyet Daily News |url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/solar-tower-at-mersin-.aspx?pageID=449&nID=45420&NewsCatID=402 |url-status=live |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220012451/http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/solar-tower-at-mersin-.aspx?pageID=449&nID=45420&NewsCatID=402 |archive-date=20 February 2017}}

A solar updraft tower has been suggested for Antalya Province.{{Cite journal |last1=Ikhlef |first1=Khaoula |last2=Üçgül |first2=İbrahim |last3=Larbi |first3=Salah |last4=Ouchene |first4=Samir |year=2022 |title=Performance estimation of a solar chimney power plant (SCPP) in several regions of Turkey |url=https://jten.yildiz.edu.tr/article/553 |journal=Journal of Thermal Engineering |language=en |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=202 |doi=10.18186/thermal.1078957|doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 }}

• Renewable energy in Turkey
• Wind power in Turkey
• Geothermal power in Turkey
• Biofuel in Turkey
• Hydroelectricity in Turkey

• {{Cite web |title=Turkey: Status of Solar Heating/Cooling and Solar Buildings – 2021 |url=https://www.iea-shc.org/countries/turkey/report |access-date=17 May 2022 |website=www.iea-shc.org}}
• Cagdas Artantas, Onur (2023) "[https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-44760-0_7 Green Electricity Promotion in Turkey]", Promotion of Green Electricity in Germany and Turkey: A Comparison with Reference to the WTO and EU Law, Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 169–187, {{doi|10.1007/978-3-031-44760-0_7}}, {{ISBN|978-3-031-44760-0}},

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.gensed.org/en/ Turkish Solar Energy Industry Association]
• [https://www.gunder.org.tr/ Turkish section] of the International Solar Energy Society
• [https://ttmd.org.tr/en/main-page Turkish Society of HVAC and Sanitary Engineers (TTMD)]

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