Istanbul:Türkiye plans to announce a revised National Energy Plan on November 5, featuring stronger targets that extend through 2040, as revealed by a senior energy official. Speaking at a panel during the Investment Summit Towards COP31 in Istanbul, Ahmet Ozkaya, director general of energy affairs at the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, emphasized the importance of renewable energy in securing supplies, reducing import bills, and achieving Türkiye's 2053 net-zero emissions goal.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, Ozkaya noted that Türkiye's combined wind and solar installed capacity has surpassed 44 gigawatts. He recalled the target set in 2024 to increase this capacity to 120 gigawatts by 2035 and mentioned the anticipation of stronger targets for the period extending from 2035 to 2040.
Ozkaya highlighted the necessity of grid investment to integrate renewable energy with growing electrification needs. He pointed out that stronger transmission and distribution infrastructure, alongside storage, interconnections, and greater grid flexibility, are essential. An earlier estimate placed the transmission and distribution investment needs at $80 billion through 2035, with requirements expected to rise as the planning horizon extends to 2040.
The energy transition is also supporting domestic manufacturing, with local content nearing 100% in hydropower equipment, almost 90% in solar, and 60%-65% in wind, according to Ozkaya. The ministry is reportedly working on additional incentives to address competitive pressures facing the sector.
In a related discussion, Basar Vural, chairman of ABB Türkiye, stated that technologies needed for electrification already exist, but their deployment requires coordinated action and an ecosystem capable of supporting growing demand. Meanwhile, Karin Gilges, president of Bosch Türkiye and the Middle East, highlighted digitalization and artificial intelligence as key to more sustainable manufacturing, along with opportunities to reuse water in production systems.
Murat Bulbul, CEO of Toyota Automotive Industry Türkiye, stressed that reducing carbon dioxide emissions should remain the central objective of the automotive transition. He argued that differences in energy infrastructure, costs, and socioeconomic conditions necessitate multiple technologies, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery-electric vehicles, and hydrogen. Relying on a single solution would limit emissions reductions to specific regions, Bulbul stated, emphasizing Toyota's approach to providing suitable mobility options worldwide.