PVTIME – The UAE-based renewable energy developer Masdar and the Turkish government have reached the final stage of a $1 billion project to build a 1.1GW solar power plant with energy storage facilities in Bor, Niğde Province, central Turkey. This initiative will strengthen the two nations’ cooperation in clean energy and support Turkey’s goal of quadrupling its renewable energy capacity.
The project is in line with Turkey’s energy transition efforts, which seek to boost national renewable capacity from 30GW to 120GW by 2035. The announcement follows a visit to Turkey by a UAE delegation led by Masdar chief executive Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, who explored joint investment opportunities in renewable energy and energy storage.
During the delegation’s meetings, the two parties discussed solar energy, onshore and offshore wind energy, pumped hydro storage and plans for technology transfer. These discussions have established a roadmap for closer strategic cooperation in clean energy between the UAE and Turkey.
Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that Turkey intends to sign an intergovernmental memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UAE to strengthen renewable energy collaboration. He added that this partnership would enhance Turkey’s energy infrastructure, support its 2053 net zero emissions target and set an example for regional energy transitions. The discussions also covered potential investments in offshore wind farms, high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission lines and pumped-hydro storage projects.
Turkish officials estimate that quadrupling the country’s renewable energy capacity would require around $108 billion in total investment. The Bor project highlights Turkey’s ambition to accelerate solar deployment, with plans covering both PV and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies.
The initiative builds on the UAE and Turkey’s recent cooperation. In 2023, the two countries signed a $27 billion framework agreement, leading to a MoU between Masdar and Turkey’s Ministry of Energy. These agreements represent a significant acceleration in bilateral collaboration on clean energy and energy security.
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