A New Electricity Tariff Is Coming! According to recent reports, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Fatih Dönmez, announced that work continues on a tariff that will be available only to consumers who want electricity generated solely from renewable energy sources. The new electricity tariff is currently being developed within the agenda of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in coordination with the relevant parliamentary commission. Once the parliamentary process concludes, the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) will publish the new tariff. This will allow customers who wish to do so to purchase electricity under the specified tariff through their supply companies.
Speaking at the Turkey Geothermal Congress, Minister Fatih Dönmez stated that investments aimed at increasing the share of domestic renewable sources in installed electricity capacity are progressing rapidly. “Our motto is more domestic, more renewable; our goal is energy independence and a stronger Turkey,” he said. Dönmez reported that by the end of last year, installed electricity capacity reached 91,300 megawatts, and 62% of generation came from domestic and renewable sources.
The minister added that installed renewable capacity has reached 44,767 megawatts and that this figure is expected to rise further through Renewable Energy Resource Area (YEKA) competitions.
Minister Dönmez Outlined His Targets
Minister Dönmez highlighted Turkey’s leading position in geothermal energy, noting that the country ranks first in Europe and fourth globally for installed geothermal capacity. He said the government now aims even higher. With ongoing projects in the pre-license stage, Dönmez indicated that, once completed, Turkey’s installed geothermal capacity could reach around 2,000 megawatts in the near future.
Dönmez also reminded the audience that geothermal energy is not limited to electricity generation; it is used in agriculture, greenhouse heating and tourism as well. He recalled that in the early 2000s, geothermal energy was used to heat 500 decares of greenhouses, whereas current capacity has expanded to heat up to 4,300 decares.
In the tourism sector, the minister noted that roughly 18.5 million people and some 400 hotels and thermal facilities use thermal water energy derived from geothermal resources. Considering the total thermal energy potential harnessed from geothermal sources, Dönmez said Turkey has the capacity to develop thermal facilities with more than one million beds.