Türkiye is gearing up to initiate the technical groundwork for its first-ever offshore wind power plant in 2024. Murat Durak, the chair of the board of the Offshore Wind Energy Association (DÜRED), announced that the field sizes for these offshore wind energy plants were determined in August, setting the stage for technical studies to commence.
As part of Türkiye's commitment to reducing external dependency and promoting clean energy sources, the designated areas for the offshore wind energy projects have been identified, including regions off Bandırma, Bozcaada, Gelibolu, and the coast of Karabiga. The Renewable Energy Resources Support Mechanism (YEKDEM) base price for these projects is set at 6.75 cents/dollar per kilowatt-hour, with a ceiling price of 8.25 cents/dollar.
Türkiye has been a prominent advocate for reducing fossil fuel emissions and increasing renewable energy supplies. With over 106,000 megawatts in installed electricity capacity, the country has achieved a remarkable 55% share of renewable energy in its total installed power capacity. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar highlighted Türkiye's leading positions in geothermal, hydroelectric, wind, and solar energy capacities in Europe.
To enhance supply security and diversify domestic resources, Türkiye plans to triple its renewable energy capacity by 2053. DÜRED's Murat Durak emphasized the importance of these offshore wind energy projects in achieving this goal. The areas identified for these projects will undergo meteorological and oceanographic analyses, along with preliminary feasibility studies, starting in 2024.
Durak also revealed the country's ambitious target of achieving 5 gigawatts of offshore wind installation by 2035, contributing to the overall wind capacity goal of 29.6 gigawatts. Türkiye's offshore wind potential is vast, with high-potential regions identified in the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. Durak stated that these regions have a potential of 13.9 gigawatts for floating installations and 1.3 gigawatts for fixed installations in the Black Sea, and 19.2 gigawatts for floating installations and 2.8 gigawatts for fixed installations in the Marmara Sea.
Source: dailysabah.com