Europe sees Turkey as key part of wind energy supply chain
Turkey plays 'a vital role' in supplying wind energy equipment to Europe, making it a key part of the continent's renewable energy efforts, according to Giles Dickson, the head of WindEurope, an umbrella organization representing the European wind energy sector.
The bloc sees Turkey 'as part of the wider European wind energy supply chain,' Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, told Anadolu Agency (AA) in an interview published on Tuesday.
Wind energy currently supplies around 11% of Turkey's electricity and has the potential to grow further, said Dickson, who is set to step down later this year after a decade at the helm of the Brussels-based wind industry association.
He described Turkey's Renewable Energy Resource Area (YEKA) model as essential for long-term planning and said: 'YEKA plays a crucial role in providing stable visibility for future volumes.' 'The YEKA is also very important for Turkey's wind energy supply chain because of its strict local content rules,' he added. 'It provides strong visibility and predictability for future orders and volumes for Turkey's wind supply chain.' Introduced in 2016, YEKA projects have been the main drivers of growth in renewable energy, in terms of technology development, equipment manufacture and electricity generation.
Turkey aims to reach 120,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity by 2035 through annual YEKA tenders of at least 2,000 megawatts.
Dickson also highlighted the growing importance of storage-integrated wind investments, noting that the 'new YEKDEM wind plus storage system is going to play a vital role.' Turkey launched the Renewable Energy Resources Support Scheme, or YEKDEM, in 2005 to boost and incentivize renewable energy investments. Emphasizing Turkiye's strong manufacturing base, Dickson said: '70% of what Turkey produces is exported and most of it goes to Europe,' noting the high value Europe places on this supply chain.
On Turkey's 5-gigawatt (GW) offshore wind target, Dickson said, 'Offshore is achievable,' calling it a natural next step for a country that already sources 11.5% of its electricity from onshore wind.
'A country starts off building a lot of onshore wind. And let's start putting the turbines in the sea as well. It's quite a logical progression. It looks as though the wind speeds are good and the seabed conditions are also,' he explained.
He noted that although offshore turbines require different facilities, the Turkish domestic industry is well-positioned to adapt. 'The expertise is there, and the skills base is there.' Strong support from government Dickson said each time he visits Turkey, he sees a clear governmental commitment to the expansion of wind energy.
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