Wind energy in Turkey

Wind and wind energy has always played an important role in the historical and economical development of Asia Minor and the geographical area covered by the Republic of Turkey today. The ancient city of Troia probably became rich with harbor fees from commercial vessels, which could not sail up the Dardanelles because of strong north-easterly winds and swift currents. As early as 1389 AC wind mills were already dominant landmarks and found their way even into naval maps. In 1940's wind mills ground corn, pumped water to fields and even powered first radio sets at the Anatolian country side. Like elsewhere, with the onset of oil era and construction of large hydroelectric and fossil fuel power plants this renewable energy source was forgotten in Turkey until recently. Today there is a serious intention on part of Turkish authorities to promote wind energy. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources approved the first B.O.T, wind park with 12 x 600 kW turbines in December 1997 and the contract text was initialled on April 3, 1998. By the time we present this paper this wind park should be in operation along with the first Autoproducer wind park with 3 x 500 kW turbines, which was connected to the grid on February 20, 1998. Efforts to include wind energy also in the B.O.O. Law are also continuing. We at Interwind estimate the usable wind energy potential in Turkey, at around 8'000 MW. However, how much of this potential can be utilized in the near future will depend on three factors; 1) Definition of the specific place of renewable energy sources in the overall energy politics of Turkey, 2) Reinforcement of infrastructure at high wind locations as a matter of priority, 3) Revision of legal frame work for independent power producers to address the realities of the present and demands of the future. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.