Energy in Turkey

Wind turbines on the island of Bozcaada in the far west

Energy consumption by source, Turkey

Energy consumption per person in Turkey is similar to the world average,[1][2] and over 85 per cent is from fossil fuels.[3] From 1990 to 2017 annual primary energy supply tripled, but then remained constant to 2019.[2] In 2019, Turkey's primary energy supply included around 30 per cent oil, 30 per cent coal, and 25 per cent gas.[4] These fossil fuels contribute to Turkey's air pollution and its above average greenhouse gas emissions.[5][6] Turkey mines its own lignite (brown coal) but imports three-quarters of its energy, including half the coal and almost all the oil and gas it requires, and its energy policy prioritises reducing imports.[7]

The OECD has criticised the lack of carbon pricing,[8] fossil fuel subsidies[9] and the country's under-utilized wind and solar potential.[10] The country's electricity supplies 20% of its energy[11] and is generated mainly from coal, gas and hydroelectricity; with a small but growing amount from wind, solar and geothermal.[12] However, Black Sea gas is forecast to meet all residential demand from the late 2020s.[13] A nuclear power plant is also under construction, and one half of installed power capacity is renewable energy.[14] Despite this, from 1990 to 2019, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fuel combustion rose from 130 megatonnes (Mt) to 360 Mt.[15] In 2023 energy consumption was forecast to increase almost 40% in the following 12 years.[16]

Energy policy is to secure national energy supply[17] and reduce fossil fuel imports,[18] which accounted for over 20% of the cost of Turkey's imports in 2019,[19] and 75 per cent of the current account deficit.[20] This also includes using energy efficiently. However, as of 2019, little research has been done on the policies Turkey uses to reduce energy poverty, which also include some subsidies for home heating and electricity use.[21] Turkey's energy policies plan to give "due consideration to environmental concerns all along the energy chain", "within the context of sustainable development."[18] These plans have been criticised for being published over a year after work mentioned in it had started,[22][23] not sufficiently involving the private sector,[24] and for being inconsistent with Turkey's climate policy.[25]

  1. ^ "Energy use per person". Our World in Data. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ OECD (2019).
  4. ^ "Total Primary Energy Supply (TPES) by source:Turkey". International Energy Agency. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  5. ^ "Who emits more than their share of CO₂ emissions?". Our World in Data. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Turkey's greenhouse gas emissions up 4.4% in 2016". Anadolu. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  7. ^ IEA (March 2021). Turkey 2021 – Energy Policy Review (Technical report). International Energy Agency. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022.
  8. ^ OECD (2019), p. 117.
  9. ^ OECD (2019), pp. 115, 116.
  10. ^ OECD (2019), p. 65.
  11. ^ "Shura 2023 report" (PDF). Shura. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  12. ^ "Electricity generation by fuel: Turkey". IEA. Archived from the original on 30 December 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  13. ^ "Turkey sees up to 20 bcm annual natural gas output from Black Sea". Daily Sabah. 7 June 2021. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  14. ^ T.C. Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanlığı. "Turkey's International Energy Strategy". T.C. Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanlığı. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  15. ^ "CO2 emissions Turkey". IEA. Archived from the original on 12 January 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Türkiye to increase energy investments with zero emission target". Hürriyet Daily News. 21 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  17. ^ Öztürk, Sinan (21 January 2020). "Turkey Wealth Fund eyes becoming strategic investment arm of the country". Daily Sabah. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  18. ^ a b "Turkey's Energy Profile and Strategy". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Turkey). Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  19. ^ Turkey, Sigma (30 March 2020). "Turkey's Energy Outlook – A Snapshot". Sigma Turkey. Archived from the original on 3 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Energy pricing and non-market flows in Turkey's energy sector". SHURA Energy Transition Center. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  21. ^ Sonmez, Mustafa (19 December 2019). "Turkey's energy miscalculations have hefty cost". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  22. ^ "The hidden confessions in Turkey's strategic energy plan". www.duvarenglish.com. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Türkiye'nin 2019-2023 Enerji Stratejisinde Enerji Dönüşümünün Yeri" [The role of Energy Transition in Turkey's 2019-2023 Energy Strategy]. epturkey (in Turkish). 15 May 2020. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2021. Türkiye Enerji ve Tabii Kaynaklar Bakanlığı, 11 Mayıs 2020'de "Stratejik Plan 2019-2023" yayınladı [The Energy Ministry published the 2019-2023 strategic plan on 11 May 2020]
  24. ^ "Turkey's foreign and security policy 'needs to support its energy goals'". Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  25. ^ "Turkey 2018 Report" (PDF). European Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.