Türkiye’s reliance on imported energy resources declines in 2022: Energy minister

By Firdevs Yüksel and Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye’s reliance on imported energy resources declined to 67.8% in 2022, the country's energy and natural resources minister said on Friday.

In his address at the IICEC Conference: The Changing Landscape of Global Energy Geopolitics, Climate Crisis & Türkiye, Alparslan Bayraktar stated that the country’s main problem in all macroeconomic issues is its dependence on energy imports.

Over the past few years, the percentage reliance on imported energy resources has been 70% and in some years slightly higher, but this dropped below the important milestone of 70% to 67.8% last year.

Bayraktar explained that under Türkiye’s national energy plan, the country’s targets are a reduction in external energy dependence within the next 30 years and to eventually turn it into a net-zero emission country.

Bayraktar also disclosed a plan to invest $10 billion in the electricity grid by 2030 as part of its 2024–2030 energy efficiency plans.

The country aims to reduce 100 million tons of carbon emissions as part of this plan, which is expected to be published next month.

Carbon emissions trading under the country’s Energy Exchange Istanbul (EXIST) is also on the cards.

Since 2020, the country has boosted efforts for oil and gas exploration, and these efforts have resulted in newly discovered reserves in the southeastern Gabar region. The record levels of oil production that the new reserves have contributed to have brought the country closer to its goal of achieving energy independence.