Turkey will build an additional 2 gigawatts (GW) of new wind energy capacity in the first six months of 2021, thanks to the extension of the former Renewable Energy Resources Support Mechanism (YEKDEM), according to WindEurope’s statement on Thursday.
The YEKDEM scheme started in 2011 and was due to end on Dec. 31, 2020, however, it was extended to June 30 this year to accommodate delays to projects under construction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
YEKDEM is Turkey’s main support scheme for onshore wind, offering a 10-year feed-in tariff with five-year local content incentives.
WindEurope said the announcement of an extension to the YEKDEM scheme would help bring more transparency, predictability and bankability for investors.
Turkey performed well in wind energy in 2020. It built 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of new wind energy capacity last year and now has 9.3 GW of wind energy capacity installed, producing 9% of the electricity Turkey consumes.
The wind industry in the country has 79 companies active in 15 different cities, employing 18,000 people, and 75% of manufacturers export their components all over the world, according to WindEurope.
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr