Turkey

The 18th SolarEx Istanbul showcased Türkiye’s expanding solar ecosystem, bringing together hundreds of exhibitors and reinforcing its role as a rising global hub for PV manufacturing and innovation. At the same time, strong growth in distributed solar and emerging battery storage highlights both the market’s potential and its key challenges, including regulatory constraints, grid limits, and increasing global competition.

Adana-based WHS introduced a PV-powered water heating system that operates without an inverter, using 1.6 kW of direct DC solar input with integrated MPPT. The system supports hybrid operation with a 2 kW AC backup, runs at extra-low voltage of less than 50 V, delivers around 3 kWh/day of thermal energy, and heats water to 65–85 C for residential and small commercial use.

A research team has developed a solvent-free method using ultrasonic cavitation to delaminate end-of-life crystalline-silicon PV modules, fully separating the glass and front EVA layer while partially releasing c-Si fragments. The proposed approach achieved an 82.2% mass-based delamination efficiency, highlighting ultrasonic cavitation as a sustainable alternative for PV module recycling.

Researchers in Turkey optimized electrospray cooling for PV panels, achieving optimal power output with minimal water use and a compact, energy-efficient setup. Their study identified irradiance, flow rate, voltage, and nozzle distance as ideal parameters.

Alparslan Bayraktar, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, says 2026 will be a record year for renewables in the country after total deployed solar reached 25,827 MW by the end of January.

Researchers in Türkiye have developed a passive anti-soiling coating for PV panels using oleic acid–modified aluminum oxide nanoparticles applied via spray coating. Laboratory and field tests showed the coating reduced dust accumulation and initially boosted daily energy output, though performance declined under prolonged environmental stressors.

Saudi Arabian energy giant ACWA Power will build two 1 GW solar power plants in Türkiye as part of a wider investment agreement covering 5 GW of new renewables capacity in the country.

Oze Grup’s Sivrihisar project pairs a 49.2 MW solar plant with 34.1 MWh of battery storage, marking Turkey’s first grid-connected hybrid facility approved under the sustainable finance framework (DGES).

An international research group has conducted a literature review of capital expenditure-driven levelized cost of electricity optimization strategies for utility-scale PV systems. Tracking optimization, system voltage escalation, and advanced system design are identified as the most promising cost reduction areas. “The next wave of PV research must be LCOE-native, system-level, and deployment-validated,” a member of the research group said.

Türkiye’s cumulative solar capacity is approaching 25 GW after another strong year for new deployments, led by installations for self-consumption in the commercial and industrial market.