“In 2002, our wind energy installed power was only 19 megawatts. Now, with 12 gigawatts of wind power, we rank 12th in the world and 5th in Europe.
Minister of Industry and Technology Mehmet Fatih Kacir stated that they attach great importance to wind energy in order to make Turkiye fully independent in energy, and said, “We aim to launch our national wind turbine brand together with our industry, which will further advance our country’s current position in wind energy equipment production.”
At the 12th Turkish Wind Energy Congress (TUREK), organized by the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TUREB) with the main theme of “Century of the Wind”, Kacir said that the event will contribute to their breakthroughs to achieve 2053 zero emission targets.
Kacir said that the Turkish wind energy industry, whose adventure started with the first domestically produced blade in 2002, has become a giant industry where turbine main parts such as towers, blades and generators are produced domestically, approximately 25 thousand people are directly employed, has an annual turnover of €1.5 billion, and exports 3 out of every 4 products produced to more than 52 countries.
Explaining that they will discuss the latest developments in the wind energy sector with local and foreign stakeholders during the congress, Kacir stated that they will bring together representatives of public institutions and the private sector in order to jointly solve the problems faced by the sector in the investment processes, and that they will evaluate the latest stage in wind energy technologies together with the world’s most competent names in this field.
Kacir stated that thanks to the congress, they created an important cooperation platform for participants from all over the world and Turkiye.
Stating that countries are competing in investment and manufacturing in green energy technologies, Kacir noted that there is fierce competition in many areas such as battery, solar, hydrogen and wind energy technologies.
“With incentives, we paved the way for fixed RES investments worth ₺233 billion”
Minister Kacir stated that wind has a significant share among renewable energy sources and continued his words as follows:
“World wind energy capacity, which grew by 9% last year to 906 gigawatts, is expected to reach 2 terawatts in 2030. We attach great importance to wind energy, just like other green energy technologies, in order to benefit from wind energy on a global scale, to evaluate the wind energy potential of our country in terms of its geographical location and climate characteristics, achieving our 2053 net zero emissions target by investing in clean energy projects, and to make our country fully independent in energy with sustainable and renewable energy projects. We continue our work to make our country a ‘regional wind energy equipment production base’, and we support our entrepreneurs, researchers, investors and industrialists in wind energy technologies through various mechanisms.”
Kacir noted that they have issued a total of 388 incentive certificates for wind power plant (RES) investments to date and in this context, they have paved the way for fixed investments exceeding ₺233 billion. “In addition to these investments, we have implemented an investment of ₺8 billion with a total of 53 incentive certificates for turbine tower, machinery and connection equipment manufacturing investments.”
Stating that they provided a total of ₺405 million of direct resources to 118 projects in the field of wind energy technologies within the scope of TUBITAK support and scholarship programs, Kacir gave information about the Wind-Generated Electrical Power Monitoring and Forecasting System Project (RITM) carried out under the leadership of TUBITAK.
“We ensured that our manufacturers took their place among the important suppliers of Europe”
Minister of Industry and Technology Kacir stated that, within the scope of the Technology-Focused Industrial Move Program, they paved the way for an investment with a budget of ₺425 million by supporting a project that enables the connection equipment used in wind turbines to be produced with domestic and national facilities using advanced casting technology.
Regarding the support provided by development agencies to the wind energy sector, Kacir said:
“To date, we have provided ₺575 million of financing to 158 projects carried out in the field of wind energy with our development agencies. 40 innovative initiatives and more than 700 R&D projects in the field of wind energy are carried out in our technoparks. We have provided approximately ₺1.5 billion of support to these initiatives to date. There are 25 R&D and design centers in the field of wind energy in our country. With these corporate supports, we provided financial support of more than ₺13 million to 76 SMEs that manufacture wind energy equipment and included them in the supply chain. With all these supports and incentives provided by our state, we have enabled our domestic wind energy industry to develop and our producers to take their place among the important suppliers of Europe.”
Kacir stated that in addition to large parts such as towers, wings and generators, they managed to produce tower internal parts and connection equipment locally, and stated that the localization rate in this context exceeded 60%.
Stating that they will not be satisfied with this success, Kacir made the following evaluations:
“We attach importance to improving the competencies of our domestic wind energy producers, especially in offshore wind turbines, and creating a strong supply network in the sector. We will establish new industrial zones that will accelerate the development of our sector and realize the Candarli Port, which will activate the export potential, together with our Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. We aim to launch our national wind turbine brand together with our industry, which will further advance our country’s current position in wind energy equipment production. We have supported investors who add value to our country, R&D projects that produce added value, in short, everyone who has done their best so far, and we will continue to support them.”
“We are 12th in the world in wind energy installed capacity”
Minister Kacir stated that creating resource diversity in the field of renewable energy plays a key role in energy independence, and pointed out that they have taken important steps in this direction to make the best use of both terrestrial and offshore wind potential.
Kacir said, “In 2002, our wind energy installed power was only 19 megawatts. Now, with 12 gigawatts of wind power, we rank 12th in the world and 5th in Europe. We provide approximately 11% of our country’s electricity needs from wind with more than 4 thousand turbines in 280 power plants that we built together with more than 100 local and foreign investors. With the breakthroughs we have made and planned in the field of wind energy, we will achieve our 2053 net zero emission targets, and we will take firm steps towards becoming independent day by day in the energy sector, the heart of production.”
Minister Kacir added that they are determined to make the country’s industry the driving force of the Turkish Century with the National Technology Move, in line with the goals of “a strong Turkiye that produces technology” with industrialists, business people and entrepreneurs.
Source: Trthaber / Prepared by Irem Yildiz