The role of renewable energy at the electricity sector of turkey

Renewable energy; with its domestic, clean and environmentally friendly characteristics has a strategic importance for the electricity generation of Turkey. The domestic characteristic of renewable resources and the low cost of fuel are the important reasons to be preferred in electricity production. Prices set by the government under purchasing guarantee for the renewable energy sourced electricity generation companies are not unfortunately enough for the development of the sector. The production of the wind turbines used in process of electricity generation from renewable energy sources and mechanical parts used in such as solar cell are very insufficient in Turkey. At first, it is necessary that government would support directly the expenditure of the technological improvement for production of inputs in-country R & D and for this purpose it should create a comprehensive system of incentives. Rising energy imports and accordingly increasing energy dependence mediated the current deficit to gain a structural characteristic in Turkey. Apart from the renewable energy, the other policy recommendations to reduce external dependence on energy can be listed as ; lowering the energy density within the framework of the energy savings appropriate to increase the efficiency of domestic electricity generation, nuclear energy and rational use of energy resources, such as lignite. It cannot be expected that the increasing electricity demand in the country cannot be satisfied by private sector investments focused on profit maximization, in current conditions, it is not realistic. With private investments, government should carry on its own investment actively within the framework of serious energy strategies and planning. To change the current external energy dependence on imported inputs that are used in the process of electricity generation, energy policy practitioners should encourage technology developing implications aiming the substitution of external sources with the domestic one.