How Floating Solar Could Redefine Türkiye’s Clean Energy Future
Demand for solar energy in Türkiye is rising rapidly, but the country’s current installed capacity of 23 GW still falls short of meeting its growing energy needs. With abundant solar resources across its territory, Türkiye has a unique opportunity to close this gap and accelerate its clean energy transition.
The government’s recent YEKA tenders mark a decisive step forward allocating 850 MW of new solar capacity through nine projects. Among these is a pioneering 35 MW floating solar installation at Manisa's Demirköprü Dam Reservoir, the country’s first commercial-scale floating solar project. This raises a critical question: can innovations like floating solar help Türkiye overcome land constraints and unlock the full potential of its solar future?
Floating Solar Panel in Elazığ province in Eastern Anatolia
Land Scarcity: The Hidden Challenge in Solar Expansion
Building large solar farms requires vast tracts of land, often leading to competition with agriculture, housing,or environmental preservation. In a country like Türkiye, where fertile land is essential for food security and urban expansion continues to pressure land use, this becomes a real barrier to scaling up solar power.
Other nations facing similar constraints have already embraced floating solar. For instance, in Indonesia, the Cirata Floating Solar Power Plant, a 192 MW installation on a hydropower reservoir, is a leading example of how water surfaces can be utilized for large-scale energy production (read more).
The government is aware of this challenge. Through the YEKA auctions, they’re expecting to attract billions in investment. Floating solar offers a way out. By utilizing water bodies such as reservoirs and dams, Türkiye can expand clean energy capacity without sacrificing valuable land.
Floating Solar Pilot to Commercial
Türkiye has already experimented with floating solar at a small scale. The Kuzova Project in Elazığ province demonstrated how solar panels on water can improve efficiency and reduce evaporation. Even though it’s a smaller 1 MW system, it became crucial test case for future floating solar development. The upcoming 35 MW Demirköprü Dam Project represents a leap forward, transitioning from pilot-scale experiments to a true commercial-scale.
What makes floating solar especially promising in Türkiye is its strategic advantage. The country operates an extensive hydropower network with hundreds of reservoirs and dams, many of which are ideal candidates for hybrid solar-hydro projects. By pairing solar panels with these existing assets, Türkiye can unlock significant new capacity without competing with farmland or urban space. Legal reforms now permitting renewable water bodies have also paved the way for faster adoption.
If the Demirköprü project succeeds, it could serve as a blueprint for scaling floating solar nationwide, turning Türkiye’s water surfaces into a key driver of its clean energy future.
Why Floating Solar Matters
Smart Use of Resources: Reservoirs and dams are underutilized, turning them into dual-purpose assets can generate energy while conserving land.
Higher Efficiency: Cooler water surface can enhance solar panel performance, making them slightly more efficient than land-based systems.
Water Conservation: Panels reduce evaporation, a benefit in regions facing drought risk.
Synergy with Hydropower: Shared infrastructure allows for smoother integration into the grid.
Challenges and Future Outlook
While promising, the wider adoption of floating solar in Türkiye may face challenges, such as higher initial investment costs compared to land-based systems and the need for specialised engineering and maintenance. However, as the technology matures and economies of scale are achieved, these barriers are expected to decrease.
The ambitious targets Türkiye has set for their clean energy and the YEKA tenders are an important part of the strategy. Beyond these numbers, real innovation lies in how the country chooses to expand. Floating solar demonstrates that clean energy growth does not need to come at the expense of land, agriculture, or natural ecosystems.
By pioneering commercial-scale floating solar, Türkiye has the potential to become a global leader in sustainable energy development, proving that innovative solutions can transform energy landscapes without compromise.
