Turkey opens offshore wind YEKA draft for public comment, eyeing $16 bn investment

Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has published a draft specification for the allocation of offshore wind Renewable Energy Resource Areas (YEKA) and invited public feedback until 17 August. The draft outlines a competitive auction for up to 1 GW of offshore wind connection capacity, with a price ceiling of $0.011 per kWh and a floor of $0.007 per kWh. Officials say the first offshore wind farms could be commissioned around 2030, with a medium‑term target of 5 GW and a long‑term scenario of 7 GW, which the World Bank estimates could generate up to $16 billion in economic benefits and 110 000 job‑years.

TÜREB President İbrahim Erden described the step as moving “from planning to concrete investment” and highlighted Turkey’s strong on‑shore wind industry and skilled workforce. Deputy Ufuk Yaman noted the country’s technical offshore wind potential at about 75 GW, while Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar stressed the need for a resilient, clean and secure energy system.