Türkiye's existing wind power fleet could save the country close to $4 billion a year in natural gas imports at current energy prices, the head of the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TÜREB) said, as the government seeks to reduce an energy import bill that weighs heavily on its external accounts.
TÜREB Chairman İbrahim Erden estimated that every 1,000 megawatts of installed wind capacity reduces gas imports by about $250 million annually. Türkiye's wind capacity currently exceeds 16 gigawatts.
Renewables share rising
Renewable sources have supplied more than 40% of Türkiye's electricity in recent years, and that share rose above 60% in the first eight months of 2026, according to the association. Globally, wind installations increased by 165,000 MW last year, of which Türkiye added 2,000 MW.
In 2024, the government raised its combined wind and solar capacity target for 2035 to 120 GW. TÜREB wants wind to provide 48 GW of that total. Meeting the 2035 goal would require roughly 8,000 MW of new wind and solar capacity each year. At 48 GW, wind generation would roughly triple, and annual gas import savings could reach $10 billion to $12 billion under current price and production assumptions, Erden said.
Energy bill under scrutiny
The argument comes as policymakers focus on energy dependence. Türkiye imports almost all of its oil and gas, and the regional conflict has driven up costs this year. The government's Medium-Term Program raised its 2026 energy import forecast to $71 billion from $63 billion and now expects a current account deficit of 2.6% of GDP.
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek wrote on October 13 that Türkiye had spent $1.1 trillion on energy imports over the past 26 years, 1.6 times its cumulative current account deficit in that period. He said measures to cut import dependence would strengthen resilience to global price shocks.
Türkiye is also hosting the COP31 United Nations climate conference, adding to attention on its renewable energy plans.
Sources
- Wind power could save Türkiye $4 billion a year in gas imports, industry group says
- Current account deficit to stay manageable, says Şimşek
- Türkiye prioritizes macro-financial stability amid global headwinds
Photo: canonim / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
