Turkey produces record 131.9 TWh of power from renewables last year

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The latest data, published by the Solar Energy Investors Association (Güyad) and the Hydroelectric Power Plants Industry Businessmen Association or Hesiad, renewable power generation climbed to unseen levels in 2019. Hydroelectric plants contributed a record 88.64 TWh, including all-time peaks on May 23, with 401.3 GWh, and the month of May – 11.5 TWh.

Hydro accounted for 29.5%, followed by 7.1% from wind farms, 3.2% in photovoltaic volumes, 2.7% from geothermal facilities and 1.3% in supply from systems running on biomass, biofuels and various sources. Renewables enabled a record output last year: 131.9 TWh.

Total electricity production declined 1.33% to 300.1 TWh, said Güyad, founded in 2016. The calculations reveal the share of solar power climbed to 3.18% or 9.55 TWh from 2.56% or 7.8 TWh. In terms of installed capacity, the segment came in at 6.55% or 6 GW, out of 91.34 GW in total in terms of primary sources. In 2018, electricity from solar arrays made up 5.72%.

The share of geothermal plants climbed just 0.21 points to 1.66%. The wind power sector strengthened 0.35 points to 8.26% and the biomass item expanded 0.12 points to 1.25%. Hydropower took up 31.2% or 0.74 points less than in the previous year.

Hydropower units had the capacity of 28.49 GW at the end of December, translating to a jump of 9.91 points to a 29.47% share – mostly at the expense of natural gas. It compares to 1.51 GW in geothermal or a 0.3-point rise to 2.74%.

Wind turbines landed at 7.54 GW and 7.13% or 0.59 points higher than in 2018. Stations making electricity from biofuels, waste and other sources had 1.14 GW. Their cut was boosted 0.15 points to 1.34%.

Domestic power demand was met by green energy at a rate of 46%. Electricity consumption has fallen 0.59% to 290.45 TWh, according to Turkish Electricity Transmission Co., Teiaş. In its methodology, total power output dipped 0.93% to 291.22 TWh.

Imports to neighboring countries slumped 10.3% to 2.11 TWh and exports weakened 9.3% to 2.79 TWh.

The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has announced the share of local and renewable energy sources in generating electricity reached a record 64% in the first ten months of last year and topping the target, set at two thirds. The objective by 2023 is 65%.