Hakan Erkan, the Secretary General of the Solar Energy Industrialists and Industry Association (GENSED), has stated that the recent amendment to the Electricity Market Law has opened the way for large-scale electricity storage investments. In a press release issued by GENSED, Erkan reminded that the association had included electricity storage investments in their field of activity with a change they made to their bylaws three years ago, and that the electricity storage-enabled renewable energy investments they have been promoting as the future’s major energy player will approach the top step by step with the contribution of the regulation.
Erkan stated that the principles of how this right will work in practice will be determined by the Energy Market Regulatory Authority with the regulation that will be issued, and emphasized that important points such as the “power of the storage facility” mentioned in the law text need to be clarified.
Pointing out that the biggest obstacle to the widespread use of clean energy sources such as solar and wind, which have electricity storage capability, is the disadvantage of intermittent electricity generation from these energy sources, Erkan completed his words as follows:
“At a time when the European Union, Turkey’s largest commercial partner, is preparing to implement carbon border taxes, every percentage increase in Turkey’s renewable energy share in energy supply has become very important. We think that this change made in the legal framework for electricity storage investments is a very correct and important decision, and we are waiting for the regulation on the implementation to be published as soon as possible for these investments to start rapidly.”
The regulation came into effect last week
An additional article was added to the Electricity Market Law for electricity storage facility investments with a regulation published in the Official Gazette on July 5, 2022.
According to this article, energy investors who want to invest in electricity storage facilities will be able to obtain a license without participating in any competition process for wind and/or solar energy investments as much as the power of this facility.
These investments can also receive support within the Renewable Energy Source Support Mechanism (YEKDEM).
In addition, existing power plants can also receive similar support.
If conditions such as not going beyond the areas determined in their licenses for existing power plants, not exceeding the electrically installed capacity specified in their licenses, and obtaining positive opinions from the relevant grid operators during operation are met, the capacity increase right will be granted depending on the power of the electricity storage investment that will be made.
