Turkey's Rooftop Solar Energy Potential Can Meet 45 Percent of Electricity Demand
According to the International Energy Agency report, rooftop solar energy systems have the capacity to meet 45 percent of Turkey's total electricity demand.
According to the Turkey Energy Policy Review Report prepared by the International Energy Agency, rooftop solar energy systems have the potential to meet 45 percent of Turkey's electricity demand.
Advantages of Rooftop Solar Energy
The widespread adoption of rooftop solar energy enables electricity generation to be distributed to more points, reducing the centralized structure of the energy system.
This model reduces dependency on subsidies while allowing consumers to generate their own electricity at affordable costs.
Provinces with the Highest Potential
The top three provinces with the highest rooftop solar energy potential in Turkey stand out as Izmir, Istanbul, and Ankara, which are the country's largest cities in terms of population.
The widespread adoption of these systems is important not only for increasing renewable energy capacity but also for strengthening energy security.
Disaster-Resilient Energy Structure
Rooftop solar energy systems can ensure the continuity of electricity supply against interruptions that may occur in central energy systems following natural disasters such as earthquakes.
These systems offer significant advantages by contributing to a more resilient and distributed energy structure.
Challenges in Installation Processes
Offering advantages compared to large-scale solar power plants, the widespread adoption of rooftop systems faces various regulatory and practical obstacles.
Approval processes requiring the consent of multiple institutions from application to installation can extend up to 27 weeks.
Regulations in Permit Processes and Legislation
Turkey implemented a net metering system based on monthly offsetting in 2019, allowing the sale of surplus electricity.
With the legal amendments made, the path was cleared to reduce the permit processes of wind and solar power plants from approximately 48 months to 18 months.
Share in Unlicensed Electricity Generation
Solar photovoltaic technology has been the resource that benefited the most from the unlicensed electricity generation regime in Turkey.
As of the end of 2025, photovoltaic solar accounted for 97 percent of Turkey's unlicensed electricity generation capacity, amounting to approximately 23 gigawatts.
New Roadmap and Flexible Resource Targets
One of the main targets of the prepared roadmap is to introduce 35 gigawatts of flexible resources to the electrical system.
Rooftop solar energy, combined with storage systems, will make up 10 gigawatts of this capacity.