Renewable energy in sustainable development: The case of Turkey

The population of developing countries in the world is gradually increasing and the standard of social life is improving. Accordingly, the need for energy resources is also growing up and industrialization activities are becoming more and more widespread. In this case, it is estimated that energy demand will also continue to increase as technology develops in the future. Natural energy sources, known as fossil fuels, have been widely used for years to meet the energy needs. The fact that these fuels cause environmental problems and that their reserves will be depleted in the near future is seen as a problem that should be taken into account seriously. Fossil fuels are used as the main alternative to renewable energy to meet energy needs. In this period of increasing interest in renewable energy, Turkey has made significant investments, motivated by the private and public sectors, and had a very rich infrastructure and raw materials in renewable energy. The aim of this study is to analyze Turkey’s energy potential and examine its renewable energy policies.