/26th February 2013, RENEWABLE MARKET WATCHTM/
Turkey is an excellent market for wind energy investments amongst SEE countries according to Turkey Wind Market: Outlook 2013 – 2018. In 2010 and 2012, the country has become one of the fastest-growing wind markets in the region with cumulative wind installed capacity of 1,799 MW for 2011, and 2,312 MW by the end of 2012.
Turkey’s energy demand was doubled between the years 2000–2010 and is expected to fourfold between the years 2000–2025. This rapid increase in demand is due to the high economic development rate in Turkey. The biggest growth area in recent years has been natural gas imported from Russia and Iran. In 1995, 20% of Turkey’s electricity needs were generated from natural gas. Today that has increased to 44%. It is a dependence that the Turkish government would like to diminish as mentioned in Turkey Wind Market: Outlook 2013 – 2018
According to EWEA statistics Turkey is the biggest wind power country in central and eastern Europe and gained more than 60% of its market share over the period 2005 – 2011 analysed, reaching 86% in 2011.
Turkey has outstanding wind resource potential. According to the Wind Atlas best wind resources are around Aegean, Marmara, and the eastern parts of Turkey’s Mediterranean regions have high wind potential at the height of 50 m. It is also the area where 30% of the country’s population lives. Wind availability around the sea of Marmara is about double that found in Germany or Denmark. According to a European Commission study, Turkey has the second-highest potential for wind energy generation in Europe after the UK. Today, it is assumed that Turkey’s current wind potential is 88,000 MW (EIE, 2006). More information about this promising market you may read here: Turkey Wind Market: Outlook 2013 – 2018
