Turkish Wind Energy Association (TUREB) Secretary General Iskender Kokey stated that the goal of reducing Europe’s foreign energy dependency with renewable energy power offers opportunities to Turkiye, which has a strong wind industry.
Turkish Wind Energy Association (TUREB) Secretary General Iskender Kokey told the AA correspondent that the wind energy sector is not only a matter of energy supply security for Turkiye, but also a sector that creates value with the employment and exports it provides.
Stating that the wind industry directly provides 25 thousand jobs, Kokey pointed out that Izmir, where tower, generator and blade production is clustered, hosts factories that produce the main equipment needed by wind turbines with the latest technology.
Kokey stated that Turkiye, which is the 5th most important wind industry in Europe, has become one of the most important wind industry stakeholders of the EU.
Kokey explained that the supply chain that was broken after the epidemic forced Europe to move production to closer geographies, and that the Ukraine-Russia war pushed it to the struggle to reduce foreign dependency on energy, and said:
“All these cyclical developments require Europe, our most important market, to increase its installed capacity in wind energy much faster. In order to increase your wind-based installed power very quickly, it is not enough to just shorten the permit processes. It requires you to increase both equipment supply and turbine production at the same pace. The region’s wind turbine needs are largely met by Turkiye. The current conjuncture offers very important opportunities for the development of the wind industry. In fact, we are now in a more advantageous position than ever before. If the European Union wants to achieve its goals in the coming period, it has to supply many more products and turbines in a very short time. This stands as an opportunity for countries with strong wind industries like Turkiye.”
“Manufacturers are looking for places for new factories”
TUREB Secretary General Kokey stated that they aim to further expand the entire supply chain besides the production of towers, blades and generators, and continued:
“This will not only create added value for the economy, employment and exports. It will also increase the capabilities of the Turkish industry as a whole. Therefore, we will be further strengthening the strong muscles of the country by using our experience in the wind industry in areas such as the defense industry and space industry, which we call a little more side effects. The wind industry is passing through a very important threshold to reap the fruits of the development and experience it has undergone in the last twenty years, and the conditions are more in our favor than ever before. We, as a country, wish to use these conditions in the best possible way. Manufacturers are looking for places to open new factories.”
Pointing out that 70-80% of the wind industry’s annual turnover of €1.5 billion is export-oriented, Kokey said that this figure could easily be doubled.
“Candarli is the right candidate for offshore jobs”
Emphasizing that the world has started to turn towards offshore wind power plants, Kokey said that Turkiye is also suitable for the development of the industry in this field.
Kokey emphasized that there is a need for areas where production can be made by the sea, and said, “We think that the Candarli region of Izmir is the right candidate.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz