Türkiye and Germany signed a preliminary agreement on renewable energy cooperation following a bilateral meeting between their respective energy and environment ministers at a joint conference in Istanbul focused on sustainable development.
Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said both governments would soon assemble working teams to identify specific joint projects under the strategic partnership, with cooperation expected to span hydraulic, biomass, and wave energy sectors.
Guler noted that Türkiye requires an estimated $128 billion in energy investment through 2020, with roughly $105 billion of that directed toward electricity generation. He also stressed the role of domestic coal resources and clean coal technologies, and reaffirmed his government's commitment to pursuing nuclear energy, calling it an environmentally responsible option. Producers of renewable electricity in Türkiye would be guaranteed a market for their output for seven years, he added.
German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel said the partnership aimed to advance renewable energy development in both countries, with potential benefits extending to Türkiye's neighbors. He indicated that German technical experts would be made available to work in Türkiye, and noted that 17 of the 25 EU member states have either never used nuclear power or have chosen to phase it out. German companies, he said, would face no barriers to participating in Türkiye's energy tenders.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.