Turkey and Saudi Arabia expand renewable energy cooperation to 5 GW
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to add 3 GW of renewable energy capacity in Turkey, bringing total planned capacity to 5 GW, Turkish Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced in August. The deal follows Saudi Arabia's February commitment to invest $2 billion in two Turkish solar farms with 2 GW capacity. Turkey aims to become a major energy hub between the Middle East and Europe.
Key Facts
- Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to add 3 GW of renewable energy capacity in Turkey, bringing total planned capacity to 5 GW.
- Saudi Arabia announced plans in February to invest $2 billion in two solar farms in Turkey with a total capacity of 2 GW.
- Turkey's installed electricity capacity quadrupled from 32,000 MW to 126,000 MW under President Erdogan, according to Minister Bayraktar.
- Hydropower contributed around 17% of Turkey's electricity in 2025, while wind and solar accounted for about 22%.
- Turkey's domestic natural gas production in the Black Sea is set to double in 2026 and quadruple by 2028.
Renewable Energy Agreement
Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to add a further 3 GW of renewable energy capacity in Turkey, bringing the country's total planned capacity to 5 GW, Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced in August. The agreement builds on Saudi Arabia's February announcement to invest $2 billion in the construction of two solar farms in Turkey with a total capacity of 2 GW. The two plants, to be built in the eastern province of Sivas and the central province of Karaman, are expected to meet the electricity needs of 2.1 million households once operational. Bayraktar stated that the investments will be financed entirely through external financing, with credit provided by international financial institutions.
Turkey's Energy Expansion
Turkey has quadrupled its installed electricity capacity from 32,000 megawatts to 126,000 megawatts, commissioning around 95 GW of new capacity over the past 24 years, according to Bayraktar. Turkey now has Europe's third-largest installed electricity capacity and consumption, after France and Germany. Oil production has tripled, natural gas output has increased ninefold, and mineral exports have risen tenfold, Bayraktar said. Domestic natural gas production in the Black Sea is set to double in 2026 and quadruple by 2028.
Energy Hub Ambitions
Bayraktar views the ongoing crisis in the Middle East as an opportunity for Turkey to establish itself as a major energy hub between the Middle East and Europe. Countries are seeking to diversify energy routes to ensure their energy security, and accelerating alternative new energy corridors could help the Middle East prepare for potential future geopolitical challenges. Hydropower remains Turkey's largest renewable electricity source, contributing around 17 per cent of total electricity in 2025, while wind and solar account for around 22 per cent.
1 source
Turkey and Saudi Arabia expand renewable energy cooperation to 5 GW
