Turkish firm’s wind power will generate 93 megawatts

The company aims to become one of the top 10 energy-generating companies in the private sector in terms of installed capacity by 2015, according to Aðaoðlu. Turkey’s energy consumption totals $50 billion each year, Aðaoðlu said, adding that the country depends on foreign sources for 75 percent of its energy needs.

Speaking during the press meeting, Murat Onuk, head of the Aðaoðlu Energy Group, said the single way for Turkey to attain sustainable development is to utilize its own resources. Noting that the company intends to create an investment portfolio with a volume of 1,000 MW in the next three years, Onuk said they currently have a total capacity of 665 MW.

“The Þah wind farm, which we will construct with a 200-million-lira investment, is expected to generate 332 million kWh electricity,” Onuk said. “This means that the Þah wind plant will generate electricity for nearly 130,000 people living in Bandýrma.”

With this wind farm, Aðaoðlu will increase the country’s current 1,000 MW installed wind energy capacity by nearly 10 percent, according to Akbank Deputy Chairman Ferda Besli. Akbank provided 62.7 million euros in loans for the project.

“Even though Turkey has 40,000 MW potential in wind energy, the country has still only 1,000 MW of installed capacity,” said Ali Neyzi, head of Turkey and the Middle East for Vestas, which will provide wind turbines for the Þah plant.

The company first started to invest in the energy sector with a wind power plant in Mersin, which it began to construct in March. The Aðaoðlu Group decided to invest in the energy sector 1.5 years ago, Aðaoðlu said.

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