Türkiye, Saudi Arabia to expand renewable energy projects

Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are set to expand their renewable energy cooperation with an additional 3,000-megawatt agreement, bringing the total planned capacity under their projects in Türkiye to 5,000 megawatts, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said.

Bayraktar recalled that Türkiye and Saudi Arabia had previously signed an agreement covering 2,000 MW of renewable energy projects.

“We will increase this to 5,000 megawatts with a 3,000-megawatt agreement on the sidelines of the UN Climate Conference in Antalya,” said Bayraktar, according to a statement released on Saturday by the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

The minister also outlined Türkiye’s progress in energy and mining over the past 25 years, saying the country had “almost accomplished a century’s worth of work” under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s leadership.

“Türkiye has quadrupled its installed electricity capacity, from 32,000 megawatts to 126,000 megawatts,” he said, adding that the country had commissioned around 95,000 MW of new capacity over the past 24 years.

Bayraktar said Türkiye now has Europe’s third-largest installed electricity capacity, as well as the third-highest electricity generation and consumption, after France and Germany. He added that oil production had tripled, natural gas production had increased ninefold and mineral exports had risen tenfold.

He identified energy independence as a central objective under Türkiye’s “Century of Türkiye” vision.

“We have a fundamental goal: to make Türkiye energy independent in the Century of Türkiye. This is, in a sense, our ultimate goal,” he said.

Natural gas and oil production

Bayraktar said natural gas, which was available in only five provinces in 2002, now reaches all 81 provinces. Türkiye is also expected to deliver natural gas to its 1,000th settlement this year.

Domestic natural gas production in the Black Sea is expected to double this year and quadruple by 2028.

“In 2028, we will meet the natural gas needs of 17 million households with our own gas from the Black Sea,” Bayraktar said.

Regarding oil production in southeastern Türkiye, Bayraktar said output at the Gabar field had exceeded 83,000 barrels per day, with more than 3,500 people working in the area, most of them local residents.

“Gabar is almost a small section, a snippet of what a Terror-Free Türkiye can look like,” he said, arguing that oil production following the removal of terrorism from the region was generating economic activity, employment and development while reducing Türkiye’s energy imports.

Bayraktar also said Türkiye was exploring unconventional oil resources in Diyarbakir and that the area could have production potential two to three times greater than Gabar.

“If we succeed in unconventional production, we will drill hundreds of wells in Diyarbakir,” he said, adding that exploration was currently being conducted across four fields covering about 600 square kilometres (232 square miles), while the broader potential area extends to 7,200 sq km (2,780 sq mi).

Regional energy security amid uncertainty

On regional energy security amid continued uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz crisis, Bayraktar said the situation could create opportunities to diversify energy routes and accelerate projects Türkiye has advocated for years.

He said discussions during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi’s visit to Türkiye had focused on transporting a significant portion of Iraqi oil to global markets through Türkiye and the Ceyhan terminal.

Bayraktar also cited potential routes for Qatari gas through Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria to Türkiye and onward to Europe, as well as through Iraq and the Development Road project. He said the possibility of Kuwaiti oil reaching Türkiye was also being considered.

“This crisis could open the door to such opportunities. Both Türkiye and the entire region, as well as global markets, could become more balanced and better prepared for future crises,” he said.

Bayraktar added that Türkiye was pursuing oil and natural gas exploration projects in both onshore and offshore areas of Pakistan.

The Oruc Reis seismic research vessel is expected to travel to Pakistan in September or October, while Bayraktar said he planned to visit the country in the coming weeks to discuss partnerships in mining projects.