In 2024, Turkey's electricity consumption is characterized by a substantial reliance on fossil fuels, which contribute more than half of the total electricity generation. Fossil energy, comprising predominantly coal and gas, accounts for roughly 54% of electricity consumption, highlighting the ongoing impact of these traditional energy sources. Conversely, low-carbon energy sources, including hydropower, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels, make up about 46% of the electricity mix. Hydropower alone generates around 22% of electricity, while wind and solar contribute 11% and 8% respectively, with geothermal and biofuels collectively totaling 6%. This composition underscores a near-equitable split between fossil and low-carbon energies, reflecting Turkey's transition towards cleaner electricity generation options.
Is Electricity Growing in Turkey?
Electricity consumption in Turkey shows signs of positive growth, with average per person usage reaching 3888 kWh in 2024, surpassing the previous record set in 2021 by 105 kWh. This indicates a steady increase in electricity demand as electrification and technology adoption rise. Notably, growth in low-carbon electricity generation has been robust, reaching 1770 kWh per person. This figure is 219 kWh higher than the record set in 2019, demonstrating a commendable shift towards sustainable electricity consumption. Such upward trends in both total and low-carbon electricity are encouraging and essential to meeting the country's energy demands while minimizing environmental impacts.
Suggestions
To further expand low-carbon electricity generation, Turkey should focus on scaling up its wind capacity, leveraging existing resources that already yield significant outputs. Observing successful regions could provide valuable insights. For instance, Denmark, where wind accounts for over half of the electricity generation, highlights effective wind energy deployment strategies. Similarly, nuclear energy offers vast underutilized potential, learning from France where nuclear generates 68% of its electricity. Incorporating these global best practices could significantly bolster Turkey's clean energy capacity, complementing its solar ambitions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, thereby addressing climate change and air pollution impacts.
History
Evaluating Turkey's historical trajectory in low-carbon electricity shows significant fluctuations over the decades, particularly with hydropower. In the late 1980s and 1990s, hydropower experienced inconsistent growth with significant declines in specific years such as 1989 and 1999. The 2000s witnessed both advancements, seen in 2002 and 2004, and setbacks like in 2005 and 2007. The 2010s marked dynamic changes, with notable increases in 2015 and 2019 followed by declines in 2014 and 2021. Recently in 2024, both hydropower and solar revealed positive contributions of 10.8 TWh and 7.3 TWh respectively, signaling a reinforced commitment to clean electricity partnerships. This historical perspective underscores the vital need for steadfast investment in low-carbon technologies like solar and nuclear for stable and sustainable electricity growth in Turkey.
Electrification
We estimate the degree of electrification by comparing electricity and total energy emissions. More about methodology.