Wind and solar energy overtake coal in Turkey

In April 2026, wind and solar energy generated more electricity than coal for the first time in Turkey. The country has thus reached an important milestone in its energy transition, according to the energy think tank Ember. According to Ember, wind and solar energy together accounted for 22.8 percent of electricity generation in April, surpassing coal's share of 21 percent. Overall, the share of renewable energies in electricity production rose to 71 percent - the highest figure in 26 years. Heavy rainfall also contributed to this, which significantly increased hydropower production. Solar energy also surpassed another symbolic mark: for the first time, it generated more electricity than imported coal. The share of solar energy was 13.1 percent, while imported coal only contributed 8.6 percent to electricity generation - the lowest monthly figure for nine years. Hydropower benefits from heavy rainfall According to Ember, hydropower production increased by 60 percent compared to the same month last year. Water inflows into the dams of Turkey's most important river basins reached their highest level in eight years in the first four months of 2026. "April 2026 marked a significant turning point in Turkey's energy transition," said Çağlar Çeliköz, energy analyst at Ember. "This development was driven both by the momentum in the expansion of wind and solar energy over the past five years and by increased hydropower production as a result of above-average rainfall," he explained. Turkey is increasingly focusing on renewable energies Turkey has significantly increased its investments in renewable energies in recent years in order to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. These had long been a burden on the country's current account. As part of its long-term energy strategy, the government is planning a further strong expansion of renewable energies. Solar energy in particular is growing rapidly due to falling costs for solar systems. However, Çeliköz warned that hydropower production remains heavily dependent on climatic conditions and rainfall patterns. "The fluctuating nature of hydropower production leads to uncertainties in future generation volumes due to the dependence on climate and precipitation conditions," he said. "In order to sustain this historic success in the face of climate change, Turkey needs to further accelerate the development of wind and solar energy and diversify its renewable energy sources." The post Wind and solar energy overtake coal in Turkey appeared first on ostwirtschaft.de.