Iraq has long developed an energy sector structure based on oil and natural gas production. While this has made the country’s energy security dependent on one-dimensional resources, it has also created risks for environmental sustainability. Iraq’s rapidly growing population, the process of urbanization and the impacts of climate change have transformed the shift toward renewable energy from a matter of choice into a strategic necessity. Iraq has been struggling for years with power outages, a persistent problem for successive governments. However, renewable energy is now increasingly perceived as a key solution in the country.
Iraq’s renewable energy potential offers significant opportunities not only in electricity generation but also in terms of economic diversification and environmental sustainability. Solar and wind projects can provide alternatives to an economy heavily dependent on oil revenues, create employment opportunities in rural areas and contribute to combating climate change by reducing carbon emissions. The continuity of sunlight and the seasonal advantages of wind have the capacity to balance the fossil fuel-dependent energy structure. If this potential is translated from theory into practice, it will enhance the country’s energy security and contribute to economic diversification. Yet, several barriers stand in the way: lack of infrastructure, limited technological expertise, financing difficulties and political instability all hinder the rapid development of renewable energy investments.
For Iraq to realize this potential, strengthening political will, encouraging foreign investment and transferring modern technologies into the country are essential. Otherwise, its natural advantages will remain unutilized and the country risks lagging in the global energy transition.
Despite its rich oil and natural gas reserves, Iraq faces serious problems in energy supply. Power outages disrupting daily life have become routine in many parts of the country. Several main reasons lie behind these outages: inadequate fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure, outdated refineries and power plants, population growth and surging electricity demand peaking during the summer months. In Iraq, where summer temperatures can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), cooling and ventilation needs dramatically increase electricity consumption. However, the current production capacity fails to meet this demand and the supply-demand imbalance frequently results in power cuts. The intensive use of fossil fuels also pollutes the environment and locks the energy sector into one-dimensional dependency. At this point, Iraq’s renewable energy potential offers a critical alternative.
Solar power, with high irradiation levels almost throughout the entire year, stands out as a resource capable of bridging the country’s electricity gap. In particular, Baghdad and southern regions receive much longer sunshine durations compared to many European countries. With sunny days prevailing for most of the year, Iraq is among the countries with the highest solar energy potential in the region. The capital, Baghdad, receives over 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, a figure that highlights this potential. Compared to many European countries with lower solar radiation levels, Iraq theoretically has the capacity to make solar energy generation a national strategy. However, past attempts with solar panels achieved limited success due to infrastructure deficiencies, technological shortcomings and particularly the dusty climate conditions that reduced panel efficiency. Today, modern technologies such as panel cooling and excess heat storage provide ways to overcome these challenges.
As for other renewable sources, in Iraq, wind power is strongest during the summer months, overlapping with peak electricity demand. This natural alignment makes the transition toward renewables even more attractive for Iraq in reducing blackouts. However, the share of wind and solar energy (0.3%) in 2023 remained far below the global average of 13%. Currently, Iraq’s largest source of clean electricity is hydropower (0.9%), which is much below the potential Iraq's geography offers. More than 98% of Iraq’s electricity was generated from fossil fuels in 2023.
To reduce the dominance of fossil fuels in power generation, combat climate change and strengthen energy supply security, the government has set renewable energy transition targets through various official documents and policy statements. Notably, these targets are not consolidated under a single integrated strategy document but have instead emerged from declarations and plans of different institutions.
Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al Sudani’s remarks at the Climate Conference held in Basra in 2023 represented the government’s most explicit political commitment in this field. Al Sudani announced the goal of meeting one-third of the country’s electricity demand from renewable sources by 2030. This statement reveals Iraq’s pursuit of a profound transformation in energy production.
In parallel, the National Investment Commission announced in 2024 plans for the installation of around 12 gigawatts of solar power capacity, most of which was allocated to investors. Solar energy thus constitutes the backbone of Iraq’s renewable energy goals. By 2025, the government reiterated the same objective, confirming its determination to reach 12 gigawatts of installed capacity by 2030.
From a broader perspective, the Integrated National Energy Strategy (INES), prepared with the support of the World Bank, outlines the general roadmap for the energy sector until 2030. The strategy covers investment plans, infrastructure reforms and energy security measures, while also leaving room for renewables.
In addition, Iraq’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), submitted under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, prioritizes increasing solar capacity and reducing losses in electricity distribution.
All these documents and statements indicate that renewable energy has a central place in Iraq’s 2030 vision. Nevertheless, most of these targets remain at the level of political discourse and declarations of intent rather than being consolidated into a single comprehensive national strategy. This raises questions about the extent to which these goals will be realized in practice, depending on factors such as the investment climate, security conditions and infrastructure deficiencies.
The long-standing energy cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq has become especially significant today. The historical energy diplomacy between the two countries had long revolved around crude oil flows through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline. Yet, the transformation in today’s energy landscape expands bilateral relations beyond oil alone. The International Baghdad Energy Forum held in Baghdad clearly reflected this new perspective.
Statements made by Türkiye’s deputy minister of Energy, Ahmet Berat Çonkar, revealed that energy relations have been broadened far beyond fossil resources. While confirming ongoing efforts to reactivate the Kirkuk-Ceyhan Pipeline, Çonkar emphasized that the potential for cooperation between the two countries is higher today than ever before. The crucial point is that this cooperation is now developing not only around oil and pipelines but also in natural gas, electricity integration and renewable energy projects. Iraq’s targets to increase renewable energy capacity by 2030 align with Türkiye’s vision of becoming a regional energy hub. In this context, bilateral energy negotiations are critical not only for fossil fuel supply security but also for advancing the momentum of the green transition at a regional level.
Türkiye’s cooperation with Iraq in the field of renewable energy offers both technical and strategic benefits. Iraq, with its high solar irradiation, stands out as a natural attraction for solar investments. Türkiye, with its engineering expertise, equipment manufacturing and project development capacity, can assume the role of a strong partner in Iraq’s energy transition. The statements of Deputy Minister Çonkar confirm this perspective, stressing that energy cooperation will extend not only to oil trade but also to the integration of electricity grids, natural gas collaboration and renewable energy investments.
Furthermore, the Development Road Project, which has come onto the agenda between the two countries, is becoming an important component of energy diplomacy. This project is designed not only as a logistics and trade corridor but also as an integrated energy route encompassing renewable energy infrastructure. In this way, energy relations between Türkiye and Iraq are transforming into a strategic axis for the stability and prosperity of the region.
