Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said that Turkey’s demand for energy is rapidly increasing with the growth of the country’s economy, industry, exports and population.
In his speech at the Istanbul Energy Forum, Bayraktar noted that “geopolitical tensions and conflicts in the region have brought many risks and uncertainties to the energy sector (in Turkey).”
He pointed out that Turkey’s energy policies are being shaped within the framework of the goal of reaching “zero emissions” by 2053, pointing to the importance of regional and international cooperation at this stage.
He stated that Turkey aims to quadruple its current wind and solar energy capacity by 2035.
He stressed that “Turkey is a country whose economy and industry are growing, whose exports and population are increasing, and therefore its demand for energy is rapidly increasing.”
The Turkish minister explained that oil production has tripled in the past seven years, especially with the discovery in Gapar in the southeastern province of Şırnak.
He stated that Turkey continues to develop regional cooperation in the field of energy and develop projects that will contribute to the energy security of Turkey and the region.
He said: “The investments we have made in the field of liquefied natural gas (LNG) contribute significantly to strengthening the security of supply for our country and Europe.”
He added: “With this strong infrastructure, and the plans to establish a gas trade center in the Istanbul Finance Center, we are strengthening our position as a pivotal country in the field of energy.”
He stressed the importance of nuclear energy for Turkey, and said that “all four units of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant will be operational by the end of 2028.”
The plant will meet 10 percent of Turkey’s electricity demand when all its units are operational in 2028.
