Turkey Targets 20 GW of Wind Power Capacity by 2023

Turkey will aim to have 20,000 megawatts (MW) of installed wind power capacity by 2023 while meeting 20% of its energy demand from wind energy by that time, local media reported, quoting the chairman of the Turkish Wind Energy Association.

Turkey’s total installed wind energy capacity increased by 700 MW to 3,000 MW in 2013, news agency Anadolu reported on Wednesday, citing Mustafa Serdar Ataseven.

The country will install 800 MW to 1,000 MW of wind capacity this year when the sector is expected to attract $1.2 billion (878 million euro) in investments, the official added.

Turkey has over 61,000 MW of installed electricity generation capacity and aims to raise that figure to 100,000 MW by 2023 with renewables accounting for a 30% share, Anadolu said in a separate news report filed on Wednesday.

Renewable energy capacity added in the last 10 years will save Turkey $275 billion in natural gas imports over the next 49 years, the agency said, citing the country’s energy minister Taner Yildiz.

At present, Turkey has 237 MW of installed biomass power generating capacity, Yildiz was quoted as saying during the Atlas for Biomass Energy Potential meeting in Ankara.

Source: SeeNews