Turkey receives 709 applications for mini solar tenders

Turkey received 709 applications for 74 upcoming, mini solar Renewable Energy Resource Zone (YEKA) tenders in 36 provinces throughout the country, the Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said on Tuesday.

This equates to an average of 9.6 applications for each tender, totaling 9,440 megawatts in capacity, Donmez said during his speech at the 9th Ordinary General Assembly Meeting of the Association of Electricity Distribution System Operators (ELDER).

Investments in the tenders, known as YEKA GES-3, are forecasted to reach almost $1 billion.

The tender scheme plans to meet the electricity demand of nearly 1.23 million households. Among the 36 provinces, Aksaray, Burdur and Nevsehir have received the highest number of applications, according to Donmez.

Tender applications were received between March 8 and 12.

"I believe that the mini YEKA scheme will start a new era in renewable energy as it will attract more small and medium-sized investors to the sector," Donmez said.

The YEKA tenders form part of Turkey's aim to supply 65% of its energy needs from domestic and renewable sources by 2023.

In 2017, through the energy ministry's YEKA tenders, Turkey's 1,000-megawatt solar tender accepted a winning bid price per megawatt-hour of $6.99. An equivalent capacity wind tender also in 2017 was achieved at $3.49 per megawatt-hour. The country finalized its second YEKA wind tenders on May 30, 2020.