Türkiye plans to invest over $20 billion in energy efficiency projects by 2030, targeting substantial savings across key sectors such as industry, buildings and public lighting, as outlined recently by an expert at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources.
Bilal Düzgün, head of the Ministry's Energy Efficiency and Environment Department, said that a total of $8.5 billion was invested in energy efficiency between 2017 and 2023 under the country's first National Energy Efficiency Action Plan.
He emphasized the country's commitment to expanding its energy efficiency projects under the second action plan.
"The Second National Energy Efficiency Action Plan foresees an investment of $20.2 billion in all sectors between 2024 and 2030," Düzgün told Anadolu Agency (AA).
He underlined that energy efficiency is crucial for sustainable development and combating climate change.
"Over the past two decades, Türkiye has emerged as one of the top Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in improving energy efficiency, achieving a reduction in energy intensity of more than 30%," he said.
In 2023, Türkiye achieved a 4.5% energy savings rate, exceeding the global average of 1%.
Offices, business centers, shopping malls, hospitals, and large campuses are all eligible for grants of up to TL 21.6 million (approximately $610,000) per project, Düzgün said.
He emphasized that "by 2026, all new public buildings must obtain green building certification, with an expected annual savings of TL 1.5 billion."
Additional regulations for new buildings include raising the renewable energy usage requirement from 5% to 10% and upgrading the energy performance certificate standard from Class C to Class B, he added.
The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources also plans to launch a geographic information system-based map to guide investments in heat pumps.
Düzgün elaborated on this initiative, stating, "This map will show areas with the highest potential for heat pump installations, especially in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions."
In public street lighting, Türkiye aims to install 500,000 additional LED fixtures by the end of 2025, bringing the total to nearly 700,000.
He noted that the LED transformation is projected to reach 3.75 million fixtures by 2028, resulting in annual savings of TL 750 million ($20 million).
