An administrative law analysis of wind energy permits in turkey

Due to the irreversible damage caused by non-renewable energy sources to human health and the world, humanity has turned to cleaner and more reliable energy sources. In this context, wind energy is one of the important renewable energy sources. With energy becoming a necessity today, its provision to citizens has also become a public service. Therefore, the identification, use, and control of energy sources are the responsibility of the administration within the scope of its law enforcement authority. However, the understanding that public services can only be provided by the administration no longer exists today. It is generally accepted that private legal entities can also provide public services, but these services must be under the control and supervision of the administration due to their nature. The administration grants pre-licenses and licenses, which are individual administrative acts, to private legal entities for the performance of public services. A pre-license signifies the responsibility and authority to complete the necessary procedures to obtain a license, while a license signifies the permission required for electricity generation. However, the administration is not entirely free in granting these permissions and is bound by laws. It is also the duty of the administration to grant the aforementioned permits to persons who meet the conditions set forth in the laws. At this point, decisions made by the administration regarding the granting or non-granting of pre-licenses are subject to judicial review, and the cancellation of erroneous decisions may be considered. This study first explains the definition of energy, what energy sources are, the importance of renewable energy sources, and the place of wind energy among these sources, thereby explaining the fundamentals of wind energy from the perspective of administrative law. The second section explains the pre-licensing and licensing processes for wind energy and examines the rights and obligations of the administration and investors in this process. The final section explains the methods of supervision of wind power plants by the administration and the sanctions that may be applied in case of legal violations and explains the judicial authorities to which decisions made in this context may be appealed.