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Battery energy storage is envisaged for the second phase of ACWA Power’s renewable energy projects in Türkiye. After Türkiye and Saudi Arabia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Electricity Projects in Antalya on 10 November 2026, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said work on the 3,000 MW second phase had moved to an advanced stage and that it envisages wind power plants supported by high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission infrastructure and battery energy storage systems.
Signed on the sidelines of COP31
According to Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud on the margins of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya. Following the meeting, Bayraktar and his Saudi counterpart signed the memorandum in the presence of President Erdoğan.
Storage paired with wind and HVDC
In a social media statement on the memorandum, Bayraktar said work on the additional 3,000 MW targeted for the second phase had moved to an advanced stage. “In this context, we envisage the development of wind power plants supported by high-voltage direct current transmission infrastructure and battery energy storage systems,” he said, adding that the investments would strengthen Türkiye’s grid infrastructure and improve system flexibility while increasing renewable capacity.
The ministry’s statement does not give the capacity, locations or timeline of the battery storage systems planned for the second phase.
5,000 MW of projects in two phases
According to Bayraktar, the framework for the 5,000 MW of projects was set by an intergovernmental agreement signed in Riyadh on 3 February and in force since 21 October. The first phase consists of solar power projects totalling 2,000 MW in Sivas and Karaman, where the minister said he was pleased with the progress made.
40 GWh of batteries in National Energy 2040
In a ministry statement of the same date, Bayraktar was reported to have attended the International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy Ministers’ Meeting held on the sidelines of COP31, where he referred to Türkiye’s National Energy 2040 vision. Saying the future energy system would require flexibility, storage capacity and stronger interconnected grids, he added: “That is why our plan also includes 40 gigawatt-hours of battery storage capacity and 15 gigawatts of cross-border interconnection capacity.” He said these investments would help integrate high shares of renewables, make the energy system more resilient and deepen regional energy cooperation.
In the same speech, Bayraktar said Türkiye aims to raise installed capacity from around 128 GW today to 281 GW by 2040, with 175 GW of that coming from solar and wind.
Sources
- Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, “Türkiye ile Suudi Arabistan Arasında Elektrik Projelerinde İş Birliği” (Cooperation in electricity projects between Türkiye and Saudi Arabia), 10.11.2026: enerji.gov.tr
- Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, “Milli Enerji 2040, Geleceğe Yönelik Kararlılığımızın Somut Bir İfadesi” (National Energy 2040 is a concrete expression of our determination for the future), 10.11.2026: enerji.gov.tr
Image: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources announcement visual
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