Türkiye sets 2040 targets of 112 GW solar and 140 GWh storage

What happened

Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has outlined the National Energy 2040 vision, which places electrification at the centre of energy policy. The announcement came ahead of COP31, due to be held in Antalya.

The plan includes targets for 112 GW of solar capacity and 140 GWh of energy storage by 2040. Total installed electricity capacity is projected to increase from 123 GW in 2025 to 281 GW in 2040. Renewables would account for 77% of installed capacity, compared with 63% currently cited in the presentation.

The government expects electrification to reach 36% by 2040. It identifies electric vehicles, data centres, green hydrogen, heat pumps and water treatment as sources of additional electricity demand.

Why it matters

The programme points to substantial investment requirements for Türkiye’s electricity system, including generation, grids, storage and cross-border links. The minister put total public and private investment needs across the wider plan at $500 billion, including about $190 billion for electricity capacity.

For energy businesses, the targets signal continued demand for renewable projects, storage, grid equipment and distributed generation. The plan also calls for at least 2 GW of renewable energy resource area tenders each year, 6 GW of offshore wind, hybrid additions at existing plants and allocations for projects of up to 1 MW.

Background

The 2040 framework has five stated pillars: energy efficiency, nuclear power, renewable energy, oil and natural gas, and mining. It also sets a goal of cutting emissions by 40% and raising domestic production to 92%.

Nuclear capacity is targeted to reach 10 GW by 2040, including the 4.8 GW Akkuyu plant and at least 5 GW of small modular reactors. The plan projects that nuclear generation would supply 11% of electricity demand.

What's next

Grid investment is a central element of the programme. High-voltage transmission lines are planned to grow from about 77,000 km to 112,000 km, while transformer capacity would rise from 200 GW to 316 GW. Interconnection capacity is targeted to increase from 5.4 GW to 15 GW.

The presentation identifies 2036 as an important point for electricity distribution, as many licences are due to expire. By 2040, the government expects Türkiye to have a 20 million-strong electric and hybrid vehicle fleet.