Türkiye plans stronger energy targets through 2040, official says

Türkiye plans to announce a revised National Energy Plan on Nov. 5, with stronger targets extending through 2040, a senior energy official said Friday.

Speaking at a panel at the Investment Summit Towards COP31 in Istanbul, Ahmet Özkaya, director general of energy affairs at the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, said renewable energy is essential to securing supplies, reducing import bills and achieving Türkiye's 2053 net-zero emissions goal.

Combined wind and solar installed capacity has exceeded 44 gigawatts, he said, recalling the target announced in 2024 to increase capacity to 120 gigawatts by 2035.

"We anticipate stronger targets, particularly revised targets extending from 2035 to 2040," Özkaya said.

GRID INVESTMENT ESSENTIAL

Özkaya said integrating renewable energy with growing electrification requires stronger transmission and distribution infrastructure, alongside storage, interconnections and greater grid flexibility.

An earlier estimate put transmission and distribution investment needs at $80 billion through 2035, he said, adding that requirements would rise as the planning horizon extends to 2040.

Without grid upgrades, renewable energy ambitions would remain "just numbers and targets," he warned.

The transition is also supporting domestic manufacturing, with local content approaching 100% in hydropower equipment, nearly 90% in solar and 60%-65% in wind, according to Özkaya. He said the ministry is working on additional incentives to address competitive pressures facing the sector.

TECHNOLOGY AND CLEANER MOBILITY

Başar Vural, chairman of ABB Türkiye, said technologies needed for electrification already exist, but deploying them requires coordinated action and an ecosystem capable of supporting growing demand.

He stressed the need for infrastructure investment to ensure electricity systems can meet rising demand.

Karin Gilges, president of Bosch Türkiye and the Middle East, highlighted digitalization and artificial intelligence as central to more sustainable manufacturing, alongside opportunities to reuse water and return it to production systems.

Murat Bülbül, CEO of Toyota Automotive Industry Türkiye, said reducing carbon dioxide emissions should remain the central objective of the automotive transition.

Differences in energy infrastructure, costs and socioeconomic conditions require multiple technologies, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen, he said.

Relying on a single solution would limit emissions reductions to particular regions, Bülbül argued, saying Toyota's approach aims to provide suitable mobility options worldwide while leaving no one behind.