Türkiye’s solar power has exceeded a highly anticipated threshold of 10,000 megawatts (MW), according to the latest industry data, as the country ramps up efforts to ensure renewable energy sources make up a bigger slice of the supply.

Türkiye’s overall installed electricity capacity increased to 104.6 gigawatts (GW) as of May 16, Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Saturday, with solar energy reaching 10,007 megawatts, comprised of power plants spread across 78 provinces. Thirty-five of these boast plants featuring over 100 MW of capacity.

The drive to curb vast energy imports over the last two decades has seen Türkiye reach a level where renewables account for over half of the country's total installed power capacity.

The push has seen the installed capacity of solar power rise from just 40 MW in 2014. The renewable energy output has been propelled by large-scale solar and wind power tenders.

Exceeding the installed solar power capacity of 10,000 megawatts "is an extremely important milestone for the sector," said Cem Özkök, head of the Energy Investors Association (GÜYAD).

"Solar may have set off a bit later because it takes a little more time to reduce costs compared to other renewable energy technologies, but it is currently moving very quickly," Özkök said in a statement.

Additions of solar capacity are aimed to lift the overall figure to 52,900 MW as of 2035, according to the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry’s National Energy Plan unveiled in mid-January.

Özkök said nearly one-fifth of this figure has already been achieved, stressing rapid progress in both licensed and unlicensed power plants.

In recent years, Renewable Energy Resource Zone (YEKA) projects have been the main drivers of growth in renewables, both in terms of technology development, equipment manufacture and electricity generation.

The government initiative seeks to establish facilities in areas with a high concentration of at least one renewable energy source. YEKA projects feature investments from local investors and/or consortiums to manufacture equipment and construct large-scale plants.

"To achieve the goals in the National Energy Plan, it is envisaged to realize an installed power of 3,000 megawatts every year. The sector has the capacity, knowledge and determination to do this," said Özkök.

Yet, he cited financing as one of the main problems, also referring to the high distribution in unlicensed plants he says has spread solar all over the country.

Meanwhile, more than 1,000 MW of solar and wind energy capacity each is expected to be added to the country’s renewable portfolio in 2023.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Türkiye is forecast to see around 64% growth in its renewable energy capacity to 90 GW in the next five years, with almost 75% of this addition being solar and wind.

The growth will help it rank fourth in Europe and among the 10 biggest renewable markets in the world.

Konya hosts most of the solar capacity, Özkok said, referring to the central province that is home to Kalyon Karapınar, said to be Europe’s biggest solar power plant built on a single site and one of the five largest in the world.

The plant, whose installations started in 2020, was officially inaugurated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan earlier this month, and boasts an installed capacity of 1,350 megawatts.

Yet, Özkok noted that investments in the southern region boasting high radiation rates, as well as capacities announced for the provinces devastated by Feb. 6 earthquakes, would help add momentum to the installation drive.