Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has emphasized the need to enhance the capacity of gas pipelines between Turkey and Greece to facilitate increased natural gas exports to Southeast European countries.
Speaking at the Atlantic Council Regional Clean and Secure Energy Conference, Bayraktar highlighted Turkey’s efforts to implement a multidimensional and unique energy transition strategy.
Bayraktar identified five key areas in Turkey’s long-term energy planning: renewable energy, energy efficiency, nuclear energy, natural gas as a transition fuel, and resources for energy transformation. He noted that Turkey ranks fifth in Europe and eleventh globally in renewable energy, with an ambitious plan to add 5,000 MW of solar and wind capacity annually, aiming to reach 90,000 MW by 2035.
In terms of energy efficiency, Bayraktar projected a $26 billion energy savings goal by 2040. He also stressed the importance of nuclear energy, pointing to the ongoing construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, which is set to meet 10% of the country’s electricity needs by 2028.
Bayraktar emphasized the significance of natural gas in Turkey’s energy strategy, mentioning Turkey’s position as Europe’s fourth-largest natural gas market and its increased gasification and storage capacities. Additionally, Bayraktar pointed to Turkey’s major gas discoveries in the Black Sea, with a target of producing 7.5 billion cubic meters annually by 2026.
