Hive has been active in Türkiye since 2015 when Country Manager, Tolga, joined the team. We have already completed one 11 MW project in the region, which has been operational since 2018.
In recent years, Tolga has been working to build a strong solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) pipeline in the region. We have now secured grid and positive EIA (Environmental Impact Assessments) decisions for our first four co-located solar and BESS developments.
Hive Energy Türkiye
The four projects have a total solar PV capacity of more than 265 MWp. The projects, Bala 1 (74 MW), Bala 2 (55 MW), Elmadağ 1 (81 MW), and Sivrihisar 1 (55 MW) are located in central Türkiye and will all be developed with accompanying BESS at approximately a 1:1 solar PV:BESS ratio. The total storage capacity at these 4 sites is around 267MWh. Adding BESS alongside the solar elements will mean energy can be retained and stored for use at times when the panels are not conducting power, meaning a more secure and continuous source of electricity for the region.
Grid was secured for these four sites in 2023 and with the positive environmental assessments we are now progressing to land acquisition. Zoning plans and design works are ongoing for the sites, with RTB targeted for H1 2025.
We have a further two PV/BESS projects that are underway which will add a further 132 MW PV capacity to the Türkiye’s landscape. Our planned projects in Türkiye now amass to over 1 GW capacity as we expand into green hydrogen development in the region in line with our global green hydrogen/ammonia strategy.
The renewable energy landscape in Türkiye
Türkiye not only has a fantastic environment for photovoltaic development, but governmental goals set in recent years will allow for the current PV capacity in the country to more than quadruple by 2030. With around 13 GW of installed capacity currently, the goal is to reach over 30 GW in the next six years to support net zero goals.
The motivation behind this tremendous growth is primarily economic. Türkiye has been heavily dependent on imported oil and gas, switching to localised renewables will significantly boost the country’s economy and power independence.
In 2022, the Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) set out new processes to unlock solar development activities and prevent hold backs in the country’s development process. The new process skips competitive sections of the procedure, such as auctions, and unlocks the option to develop on private and public land, accelerating land sourcing for PV projects. With these changes in mind, and Türkiye’s strong commitment to renewables adoption, it is expected to become one of the quickest growing solar markets in Europe.
