Energy experts confirm that Turkey is rapidly approaching establishing its position as a leader in the field of renewable energy in the Middle East, Caucasus, and Central Asia region.
According to the IEA in a report, since 2025, the country has emerged as a unique model, with wind and solar energy combinedly accounting for 22% of total electricity production, making it the only country in this vast region to exceed the 20% mark.
The progress comes as the country prepares to host the COP31 World Climate Conference in November, boosting its energy transition with one of the world's largest solar installations.
"Kalion Karapinar": A Cinematic Solar Giant
Today, Turkey is home to the Kalion Karapinar project, the largest solar energy facility in Europe, with about 3.5 million solar panels spread over an area of 20 million square meters.
The importance of the project is not limited to its production capacity of three billion kilowatt hours per year and is sufficient for the needs of a city of two million people, but also extends to the architectural aspect.
The central control building was designed with reflective silver panels and an oasis-like courtyard, leading netizens to call it a "masterpiece" that could be used as a sci-fi film set.
A recent report by the research center "Ember" revealed that Turkey has quietly succeeded in building one of the largest portfolios of battery energy storage projects in Europe, ahead of major countries such as Germany and Italy.
While the EU's leading market capacities range between 12 and 13 GW, Turkey has a portfolio of projects it has approved so far with 33 GW out of a total of 221 GW.
This success is due to a decision made in 2022 to require every new wind or solar project to be paired with a similar capacity of batteries, triggering a massive investment race that will serve as the backbone of a new regional clean energy hub.
Coal Challenges and 2035 Goals
Despite these achievements, coal remains the main source of electricity at 34 percent, with two-thirds of this production dependent on imports.
The country faces a major challenge: to triple its current solar and wind capacity to reach the target of 120 gigawatts by 2035.
Experts also warn that guarantees for the purchase of domestic coal for 2025 could lead to an increase in production in 2026, requiring acceleration of storage projects and network modernization to fully end dependence on fossil fuels and rise from a mid-European position to a position of global leadership.