Outlook bright for Turkey's renewable wind power industry

Wind power is expected to account for 20,000 megawatts (MW) of the country's planned 120,000 MW total installed capacity by 2023. In contrast with Europe, where most of the easily accessible forms of renewable energy are already tapped to the limit, Turkey and its vastly underused wind potential present lucrative opportunities for energy companies looking for long-term growth. "Turkey's wind energy potential is 25-30 percent higher than that of Europe", according to the President of the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TUREB), Mustafa Serdar Ataseven.

Reviewing the last year from the wind power perspective, Ataseven said that 2013 was a good year in terms of capacity increases and new investments. "With 700 MWs having joined the grid last year, installed capacity from wind power has reached 3,000 MWs while 1,000 MWs of capacity is under construction", Ataseven noted."Wind farms with a combined capacity of 800-1000 MWs will join the grid in 2014, taking the total to a level between 3800-4000 MWs", he said, with regard to the industry's new year target.The country's installed capacity of 62,000 MWs as of the end of 2013 is expected to reach 120,000 MWs in 2023, a third of which will be generated from renewable sources.


ISTANBUL / DAILY SABAH