Türkiye is working on a new long-term energy architecture, and at the center of this vision will be electrification, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Saturday.
Speaking at the event in the central province of Kayseri, Bayraktar emphasized that electricity will play an even more critical role as the world enters the era of artificial intelligence. He also noted that Türkiye aims to produce more electricity and use it more efficiently through digitalization.
The minister was attending the consultation meeting dubbed "Türkiye's Energy Vision."
"One of the issues we are currently working on is Türkiye's long-term new energy architecture. We are placing electrification at the center of this," he said, according to remarks shared by the ministry.
Recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's target of reaching 120,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity in wind and solar power by 2035, Bayraktar said that Türkiye will need to add around 8,000 megawatts of new capacity each year.
However, he noted that the country’s potential is even greater, adding: "Believe me, Türkiye's potential is not 8,000; we have the potential to commission perhaps 10,000, 12,000, or 15,000 megawatts annually."
Accordingly, he highlighted renewable energy as one of the most important pillars of Türkiye’s energy strategy.
In October 2024, Türkiye unveiled its Renewable Energy Roadmap for 2035, outlining ambitious plans to quadruple its wind and solar capacity by 2035. This January, the ministry suggested that the country achieved one-third of this goal, as combined solar and wind installations reached nearly 33% of overall capacity.
He also underlined Türkiye’s progress in energy independence, noting that since 2016, the country has been exploring for natural gas and oil with its own ships and engineers. Today, Türkiye possesses the world’s fourth-largest deep-sea drilling fleet, the minister said.
Moreover, Bayraktar stated that Türkiye cannot be dependent on a single energy source, adding that they aim to integrate all resources into the economy in a balanced way, and that they aim to increase oil and natural gas production. He also underscored nuclear energy goals.
Reminding that the biggest natural gas discovery in the history of the republic was made in 2020 as a result of determined efforts, he went on to say: "Again, in a very short time, in April 2023, we brought the gas we obtained from this field, which we named the Sakarya Gas Field, to Zonguldak. We have now made it possible for 4 million households to use this natural gas in their homes.
Like this, he said, they started to reduce dependence on foreign sources, especially in the natural gas used in homes. "This year, 2026, is an important year. God willing, we will double this," he added.
"We will meet the needs of 8 million households. In 2028, we will quadruple it, and we will be able to meet the natural gas needs of approximately 16-17 million households with our own gas from the Black Sea," he furthered.
"Therefore, with the increasing demand, we are aiming to increase our production and make new discoveries. We have now started new drilling in the Black Sea. By continuing these searches in different geographies, we will continue to increase Türkiye's domestic and international production."
Bayraktar's fresh remarks came after a trip to Somalia, where he was a part of the delegation that welcomed Türkiye's Çağrı Bey vessel for Türkiye's first overseas deep-sea drilling.
"God willing, we will be able to deliver good news there, both to the Somali people and to our nation," he said.
"Our search efforts continue both domestically and internationally," he added.
