Foreign investors submit applications to set up solar power plants in Turkey
A large number of local and foreign investors have submitted applications to Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) to set up solar power plants in various parts of the country.
The initial phase to harness the country’s solar potential calls for the installation of 600 megawatt (MW) capacity phovoltaic power plants, which will first see 425 MWs built up in the 27 regions throughout Turkey. Surpassing the expectations, the submitted applications have reached a projected output of 5,000 MW, 11 times the amount of the designated 425 MWs. The total worth of the proposed projects is around EUR 6 billion.
The investor interest so far has concentrated on the Central Anatolian province of Konya, where 62 companies are competing to develop a 46 MW solar power plant. Nigde and Aksaray provinces, also in Central Anatolia, follow with a total of 41 applications.
Turkish Electricity Transmission Company (TEIAS) will initiate the tender process to grant the highest paying investors with solar power generation process following EMRA’s evaluation of the applications.
Turkey’s advantageous geographical position exposes large portions of the country’s territory to sunlight during most of the year. With 2,640 hours of insolation per year and 380 terawatt hours of output potential, the country is the most promising country in Europe in terms of solar energy potential.
Turkey’s Renewable Energy Law, in effect since the beginning of 2011, especially favors investors with projects that use solar panels and other related equipment that is locally produced. The country aims to reach an installed capacity of 120,000 MW by 2023, a third of which will be generated from renewable sources.
SOURCE: MEDIA
