Türkiye RE Tenders 2025: 2GW Capacity Auction Powers Green Transformation

Türkiye will hold tenders in November and December 2025 for 2 Gigawatt (GW) of new renewable energy capacity, including 1,150 MW of wind and 850 MW of solar power. 

Announced by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the 14th Turkish Wind Energy Congress in Izmir, this marks a crucial step toward the country’s clean energy transformation, driven by the Yenilenebilir Enerji Kaynak Alanı (YEKA), or Renewable Energy Resource Areas, program.

Expanding Clean Energy Portfolio

Minister Bayraktar emphasized that Türkiye’s wind and solar energy capacity has surged from nearly zero in 2002 to 37,118 MW today. The YEKA tenders are seen as vital to sustaining this momentum, positioning the country to further increase its share of renewables in the national grid. 

According to Bayraktar, the total national installed electricity capacity surpassed 120,000 MW by the end of July 2025, with 61 percent, that is nearly 73,477 MW, sourced from renewables. 

Wind and solar alone now contribute about 31 percent of this total, demonstrating the growing importance of these resources in Türkiye’s energy mix.

Strategic Impact and Economic Benefits

The minister highlighted that renewable energy development serves a strategic role in reducing Türkiye’s dependence on energy imports. The energy import expenditure of the country fluctuates between USD 60 and USD 90 billion annually. 

Bayraktar noted that the recent addition of 6,818 MW of capacity, with a USD 5 billion investment, is not only meeting the country’s growing energy demands but also curtails carbon emissions by about 12.5 million tons each year. 

Furthermore, by using renewables to replace natural gas, Türkiye has avoided importing USD 1.3 billion worth of fuel.

Details of the Upcoming Tenders

The newly announced 2025 YEKA tenders will be distributed across multiple provinces. 

Wind energy projects totaling 1,150 MW are planned in Sivas, Balıkesir, Aydın, Denizli, and Kütahya, with six sites ranging from 110 to 500 MW each. 

Nine solar additions, offering a combined 850 MW, are slated for Elazığ, Kahramanmaraş, Erzurum, Bolu, Eskişehir, Mardin, and Van, with projects from 40 MW to 260 MW.

Launching Floating Solar Power

In a first for Türkiye, Bayraktar announced a tender specifically dedicated to floating solar power generation. Following recent legal reforms enabling such projects on bodies of water, a capacity of 35 MW will be allocated for the installation of floating solar panels on the Demirköprü hydropower reservoir in Manisa. 

Transmission Infrastructure

To support its expanding renewable energy landscape, Türkiye is planning major investments in its energy transmission grid. 

Minister Bayraktar revealed forthcoming upgrades requiring USD 28 billion, including the construction of 14,700 kilometers of new HVDC lines (40 GW capacity) and an additional 15,000 kilometers for the AC network. 

The country also aims to enhance cross-border trade of energy, with export interconnection capacity reaching 6,750 MW and import capacity at 6,600 MW.