ISTANBUL

A new bill submitted to parliament aims at accelerating permit processes, especially for renewable energy investments, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has announced.

A new mechanism will be put into effect that will enable long and complex bureaucratic procedures such as Environmental Impact Assessment, forest permits and zoning permits to be completed in a shorter time, according to the minister.

“Thus, the permit process, which could take up to 48 months, can be reduced to 18 months,” Bayraktar said.

Regarding mining investments, uncertainties faced by investors will be minimized, predictability in license and permit processes will be ensured, public control and environmental responsibility will be strengthened, and the sector will be supported without decreasing public revenues, the minister added.

He also said that the bill submitted by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) will help lower the country’s current account deficit.

Türkiye, which aims to become an energy hub in its region, has been investing heavily in renewable energy to reduce its reliance on imported energy.

The country has set the goal of boosting its renewables installed capacity to 120,000 megawatts by 2035.

As of the end of April 2025, Türkiye’s total installed capacity reached 118,668 MW.

Hydroelectric and natural gas accounted for 27.2 percent, 20.7 percent, respectively, while the share of coal was 18.5 percent, according to data from the Energy Ministry.

The shares of wind and solar were 11.2 percent and 18.7 percent, respectively. Geothermal made up 1.5 of total installed capacity.

The total number of electricity generation plants, including unlicensed facilities, has risen to 35,620 by the end of April 2025. Of these, there are 768 hydroelectric, 71 coal, 378 wind, 66 geothermal, 332 natural gas, 33,545 solar and 460 other sources.

Investments in wind power are poised to grow, expected to surpass $1.5 billion this year, İbrahim Erden, president of the Turkish Wind Energy Association (TÜREB) said in May.

In 2024, electricity consumption in Türkiye increased by 3.8 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 347.9 TWh, while electricity generation rose by 5.4 percent to 348.9 TWh.

Last year, 35.2 percent of electricity generation came from coal, 18.9 percent from natural gas and 21.5 percent from hydro. Wind and solar contributed 10.5 percent and 7.5 percent of electricity output, respectively.

According to the National Energy Plan, electricity consumption is expected to reach 380.2 TWh in 2025, 455.3 TWh in 2030 and 510.5 TWh in 2035.