The relationship between the use of renewable energy sources and economic growth in Türkiye for the period 2000-2023

In today's global economy, energy plays a vital role in the development of countries, sustainable growth, and increasing prosperity. However, energy consumption based on fossil fuels brings with it significant global challenges such as environmental damage, climate change, and energy security issues. This situation highlights the need to evaluate renewable energy sources from a multidimensional perspective and demonstrates their strategic importance in achieving sustainable development goals. This master's thesis examines the relationship between the use of renewable energy sources and economic growth in Türkiye for the period 2000-2023 in light of quantitative data. The study highlights the critical role of energy consumption in economic development and emphasizes the negative effects of dependence on traditional fossil fuels on environmental and economic sustainability. In addition to the environmental benefits of renewable energy sources, the study investigates how they affect economic growth in terms of reducing dependence on energy imports and enhancing national energy security. The main objective of the study is to reveal the impact of increased renewable energy use on the Turkish economy using quantitative data and to compare this relationship with existing literature that supports or contradicts it. The findings obtained as a result of the study clearly show that investments in renewable energy not only provide environmental benefits, but also contribute positively to the foreign trade balance by reducing the country's dependence on energy imports and support overall economic growth by encouraging technological progress. Therefore, the effective and widespread use of renewable energy sources is of great importance in achieving Türkiye's future energy and economic goals.