Turkey maintained its rapid growth momentum by commissioning 2.1 GW of new solar power capacity in the first half of 2026. According to data from the energy think tank Ember, with the new installations made in the first six months of the year, the country’s total installed solar power capacity reached approximately 26.9 GW.

Turkey, which commissioned 4.7 GW of new solar power last year, closed 2025 with a cumulative capacity of approximately 24.8 GW. With this increase in installed capacity, the number of solar power plants in the country, which was approximately 37,600 at the beginning of the year, exceeded 41,000 by the end of June.

Historical Record in Solar Power Generation

According to EPİAŞ data, in June 2026, solar power accounted for 16.5% of Turkey’s electricity production. This rate surpassed the previous monthly record of 16.1% recorded in June 2025.

In the same period, electricity production from solar power reached approximately 5 TWh, marking the highest monthly production figure ever recorded. The increase in the share of solar power plants in electricity production is considered a critical development for the country’s renewable energy goals.

The Main Source of Growth: Unlicensed Projects

According to Ember Energy Analyst Bahadır Sercan Gümüş’s assessment, approximately 1.8 GW of the 2.1 GW of new capacity commissioned in the first half of the year consisted of unlicensed electricity generation facilities. These facilities, built for self-consumption purposes with capacities up to 5 MW, constitute the majority of solar power plants currently in operation in Türkiye.

Gümüş stated that Turkey has a valuable portfolio of licensed projects, including YEKA tenders and storage-integrated projects, but the commissioning rate of these projects has fallen short of expectations.

For this reason, he said that unlicensed projects focused on self-consumption will continue to be the main driver of growth for the rest of the year and that he expects the current rate to continue.

Storage Power Plants and Future Targets

In the first half of 2026, Turkey’s first storage-integrated solar power plant was also commissioned, and the facility has a capacity of 260 MW. In June, the monthly charge-discharge volume of power storage systems was approximately 14 GWh, which corresponds to approximately 0.05 percent of monthly electricity consumption.

As Turkey prepares to continue its YEKA programs for large-scale renewable energy investments, it is planned to purchase 900 MW of solar and 1.5 GW of wind capacity in October under the next tender. It is stated that the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources may increase its target of 120 GW of solar and wind power for 2035 during COP31, which is planned to be held in Ankara in November.

According to Bahadır Sercan Gümüş, in order to reach the 120 GW target, Turkey needs to commission more than 8 GW of solar and wind power capacity every year. What are your thoughts on Türkiye’s rapid growth rate in the field of solar power?