Over the past twelve months, spanning from July 2025 to June 2026, Turkey has demonstrated a balanced approach in its electricity production mix. A touch over half of Turkey's electricity consumption, at approximately 51.5%, originates from low-carbon sources which are pivotal for sustainable development. This includes significant contributions from hydropower and wind, supplying 23% and 12% respectively, alongside solar at 11%, and minor contributions from geothermal and biofuels. The remaining electricity consumption, nearly 48.3%, relies on fossil fuels — predominantly coal and gas, making up about 30% and 18% respectively. Turkey's commitment to increasing its clean energy share is evident, but there's room for growth, especially in reducing reliance on fossil fuels contributing to climate change and pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in Turkey?

Regarding growth, there seems to be a positive trend in Turkey's electricity use. The latest data indicates an increase to 3838 kWh per person from the previous high of 3792 kWh per person in 2025. This signifies a modest gain, reflecting a steady rise in the demand for electricity, possibly driven by an evolving economy and advancing technology needs. Encouragingly, the generation of low-carbon electricity has shown significant improvement. The recent figure of 1977 kWh per person marks a meaningful growth of 266 kWh per person from its previous peak in 2024. This reinforces Turkey's trajectory towards adopting more sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources to meet its growing electricity needs.

Suggestions

To further amplify its low-carbon electricity generation, Turkey can expand its already thriving solar and wind sectors. These energy sources not only contribute a significant share of Turkey's current electricity but are also optimal for the geographical and climatic conditions of the country. For bolstering nuclear capacity to supplement its energy mix, Turkey could look towards countries like Slovakia and France, where nuclear power provides an overwhelming majority of their electricity. Likewise, replicating the success of wind power seen in Denmark and Iowa, where wind contributes over half of their electricity, can provide valuable insights. Learning and adopting practices from these regions can enable Turkey to achieve a cleaner and more resilient energy sector in the face of future challenges.

History

Tracing the history of Turkey's low-carbon electricity reveals pivotal growth and some fluctuations, particularly in hydropower contributions. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, there were notable expansions and declines, culminating in substantial positive shifts in the late 2000s and 2010. The past decade saw hydropower face challenges, marked by recurrent reductions, yet with promising rebounds like the major surge in 2019 and the most recent increase in 2026. Solar energy, while a recent entrant, saw positive strides in 2024 and 2025, catalyzing Turkey's clean energy transition alongside steady hydro contributions. Maintaining this momentum while ensuring consistency in hydro output, and advancing solar installations, is critical to Turkey's energy aspirations.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.