Critical Week for Solar Energy: Türkiye Exceeds 20 GW, Investment Reaches $2 Billion
This week saw historic developments in the solar energy sector. Türkiye's installed capacity exceeded 20 GW, and a massive $2 billion agreement was signed with Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, BNEF's contraction warning for the global market attracted attention.
Türkiye–Saudi Arabia: Huge $2 Billion Deal
Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar signed an intergovernmental agreement in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, regarding renewable energy power plant projects. Under the agreement, the Saudi Arabian company ACWA Power aims to construct solar and wind power plants with a total capacity of 5,000 MW in Türkiye.
In the first stage Sivas and Karaman total in the provinces 2,000 MW A solar power plant with a capacity of approximately [amount] will be built. $2 billion This investment has the capacity to meet the electricity needs of 2.1 million households.
Another noteworthy point is the pricing: Electricity will be purchased for 25 years at 1.995 euro cents/kWh in Karaman and 2.3415 euro cents/kWh in Sivas. These prices stand out as the lowest among renewable energy power plants built in Türkiye. The project... %50 yerli kaynak This requirement also presents a significant opportunity for domestic producers.
Türkiye Exceeds 20,000 MW of Installed Capacity
With the commissioning of rooftop, ground-mounted and hybrid power plants, Türkiye's installed solar energy capacity has increased. 20.398 MW It reached that level. Compared to the same period last year. %39,3’lük An increase has been recorded.
Energy Minister Bayraktar stated that solar and wind energy will be a key sector in 2035. 120,000 MW They stated that they aim to reach their installed capacity target. To reach this target, 8-9 thousand MW of new capacity needs to be added to the system every year.
BNEF Warning in the Global Market
According to BloombergNEF (BNEF) analysis, global solar energy installations will contract in 2026 for the first time in almost 20 years. Projected capacity for 2026. 649 GW at the level.
The main reasons for the contraction are:
- Çin’de politika değişiklikleri ve %14’lük kurulum düşüşü
- Uncertainty in renewable energy policies in the US.
- Panel prices remain at historically low levels due to overproduction capacity.
However, this situation opens a different window for Türkiye: Falling panel prices and increasing domestic production capacity create a significant cost advantage for our country.
70 GW of New Capacity in the US Market
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), solar energy continues to be the fastest-growing source of electricity generation in the United States. This is projected for the period 2026–2027. 70 GW New solar energy capacity is planned to be commissioned.
Solar energy production in the US is projected to rise from 290 billion kWh in 2025 to 424 billion kWh in 2027. Efforts to localize the supply chain will also gain momentum in 2026.
Conclusion: Opportunities for Türkiye
Despite signs of contraction in the global market, Türkiye continues its strong growth in solar energy. The partnership with Saudi Arabia, falling panel costs, and the 120 GW target for 2035 paint a very positive picture for the sector.
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