Turkey to launch first offshore wind YEKA tender in 2027

Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, has announced that the country will hold its first offshore wind Renewable Energy Resource Zones (YEKA) tender in the first quarter of 2027. The initiative aims to reach a capacity of 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2035.

Four specific offshore sites have been identified for these projects: Saros Bay, Gökçeada, Bozcaada, and the waters off Edremit. The Ministry is currently reviewing draft tender specifications, with industry feedback being accepted until August 17. A formal announcement regarding the tender details is expected in September.

Minister Bayraktar emphasized that offshore wind is a strategic move to enhance Turkey's energy supply security, support domestic industry, and create skilled employment. This push for renewable energy is part of a broader national goal to reduce energy dependency on foreign sources, noting that Turkey paid approximately $100 billion for energy imports in 2022. The government intends to highlight these offshore wind ambitions ahead of the COP31 climate conference in Antalya this November.