Turkey Taps ENERCON For 2.5 GW Of Onshore Wind Energy

At the German-Turkish Energy Forum in Berlin on November 27, wind turbine manufacturer ENERCON signed a letter of intent with the Turkish energy companies Iş Enerji and Polat Enerji to install 2.5 GW of onshore wind energy capacity. The signing took place in the presence of German Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck and Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

In the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the partners agreed to jointly realize onshore projects in Turkey and nearby countries with a total capacity of 2.5 GW over the next five years. As part of this co-operation, ENERCON will supply and install the turbine technology and provide long-term service for the wind farms constructed.

ENERCON’s new top model E-175 EP5 is to be used in the planned co-operation. With a rotor diameter of 574 feet (175 m) and a rated power of 6 to 7 MW, ENERCON said that this turbine type is currently one of the most powerful and highest-yielding onshore turbines in Europe. The scope of delivery for the co-operation amounts to at least 350 wind turbines.

“ENERCON is ready to continue its contribution to the energy transition in Turkey,” said ENERCON chief executive officer, Udo Bauer, on the signed letter of intent. “I am very much looking forward to the cooperation with our partners Iş Enerji and Polat Enerji, which represents a new milestone in onshore expansion in Türkiye. The political support for renewables in Türkiye is also exemplary. Politicians rightly see onshore wind as the cornerstone of a sustainable energy system in the country.”

“ENERCON wind turbines have already proven to be very reliable and robust in our existing projects,” said Neşet Özgür Cireli, Polat Enerji board member. “Our current installed capacity is over 740 MW and 130 MW capacity extension wind farm projects are under construction or development. We are pleased to advance our commitment to wind energy together with ENERCON both in Türkiye and other countires where Polat Energy Europe invests in and develops projects.”

“As of today Enercon is our main supplier and we see this agreement as the first step of a new beginning,” said Kayahan Karadaş, chief executive officer of İş Enerji and board member of Polat Enerji.

Polat Enerji is the largest wind energy operator in Turkey with an installed capacity of over 740 MW and has been one of ENERCON’s key international customers for many years. Is Enerji is also one of the largest renewable energy producers in Turkey, holds a 50% stake in Polat Enerji’s portfolio, and operates two separate wind farms with total installed capacity of 84 MW and wind extension potential of 40 MW, bringing the total capacity to 833 MW and potential to 873 MW.

With a total capacity of around 13 GW, Turkey is the sixth largest wind onshore market in Europe. ENERCON alone has installed over 3 GW of this in the past 27 years.