EnergyOMNI's Perspectives｜Türkiye Defines Four Areas For Offshore Wind Zones

Edited by EnergyOMNI

Türkiye's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has recently announced the first list of Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA). Four locations along the country's western Aegean coast have been identified as candidate renewable energy resource zones: Saros Bay, covering 173 square kilometers; Gökçeada, covering 75 square kilometers; Bozcaada, covering 127 square kilometers; and an area of 125 square kilometers off the coast of Edremit.

The Turkish government has set a target of 5 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035 and plans to launch its first offshore wind tender by the end of 2026, with a tender capacity of 1.5–2 GW. The first turbines are expected to be installed between 2030 and 2031. In addition, the government plans to invest USD 30 billion in transmission infrastructure by 2035.

Speaking to the media, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated that 2026 is expected to be "the year of wind" for Türkiye, although he did not provide a specific timetable for the offshore wind auction. He also noted that the domestic content ratio of wind turbines in Türkiye currently exceeds 60%, while localization rates for towers, generators, and blades exceed 70%. The number of domestic renewable energy supply-chain manufacturers has increased from 27 in 2014 to approximately 500 today.

Earlier this year, in April, China Energy Construction (China Energy Engineering Corporation) signed a cooperation agreement with Tukla Energy Group, the developer of the Çanakkale Offshore Wind Project. Under the agreement, China Energy Construction will provide services including project financing, construction, and operations. Located off the coast of Çanakkale Province, the project is planned to have a capacity of 1.5 GW and aims to become one of Türkiye's first offshore wind farms to be developed.

In addition, Minister Bayraktar revealed in September 2025 that the government was in discussions with Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Dongfang Electric regarding the construction of a turbine manufacturing facility in Türkiye. The proposed investment could reach USD 250 million, with a targeted annual production capacity of 2 GW.

In 2019, the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) under the World Bank Group, included Türkiye among eight global markets with significant offshore wind development potential. In cooperation with the Turkish government, the World Bank Group published the "Offshore Wind Roadmap for Türkiye" in 2024, estimating the country's offshore wind technical potential at 75 GW. Of this total, 12 GW is suitable for fixed-bottom offshore wind, while 63 GW could be developed using floating offshore wind technology.