Turkey, Saudi to Expand Renewable Deal at COP31

• Turkey and Saudi Arabia will sign COP31’s second renewables deal, adding 3 GW capacity to a prior 2 GW solar phase—total 5 GW—boosting Turkey’s energy independence.

Turkey and Saudi Arabia are set to sign the second stage of their renewable energy cooperation on the sidelines of COP31. The planned agreement will cover 3 GW of new renewable capacity, expanding a broader bilateral plan announced in February. The next step follows the first phase, which includes 2 GW of solar power projects in central Turkey.

Together, the two stages would bring total targeted capacity to 5 GW, combining Saudi-built solar and wind plants in Turkey. Energy minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced the move, citing that Turkey’s installed generation capacity has risen from 32 GW to 126 GW over the past 25 years and that renewables’ share has grown from 26% to 63%. The initiative aims to support Turkey’s goal of energy independence.

What new 3 GW renewable deal will Turkey and Saudi Arabia sign at COP31?

• Turkey and Saudi Arabia are expected to ink a new 3 GW renewable energy cooperation agreement at COP31, forming the second phase of their expanding partnership.
  
• The package would add a fresh block of clean power capacity in Turkey, building on earlier bilateral commitments tied to solar generation.
  
• The deal is designed to scale up projects across multiple technologies typically used in utility-scale renewable buildouts (most notably solar and wind), with the exact project mix to be detailed in follow-on implementation documents.
  
• Financing and delivery are expected to combine Saudi participation with Turkey’s project pipeline, using the model established in the first stage (where Saudi-led assets/financing are coupled with Turkish siting and development).
  
• The agreement follows an earlier, first-stage cooperation that already targets 2 GW of solar installations in central regions of Turkey.
  
• Together, the two stages would target 5 GW of new renewable capacity—creating a larger contiguous pipeline rather than isolated projects.
  
• The expanded partnership is likely to support Turkey’s power-system modernization by adding firming potential through diversified renewables and by increasing the share of low-carbon electricity in the national generation mix.
  
• Beyond generation capacity, the second-stage framework is expected to encourage additional collaboration such as engineering and procurement cooperation, with opportunities for localized project execution and supply-chain linkages.
  
• COP31 timing signals an effort to align the bilateral program with international climate and investment momentum, including interest from global lenders and clean-energy investors looking for bankable cross-border frameworks.
  
• For Turkey, the thrust of the program is closely tied to reducing exposure to imported fuels and supporting energy security through domestic and contracted renewable output.
• For Saudi Arabia, the arrangement reflects a growing pattern of overseas clean-energy investment by regional players, leveraging expertise and capital to place renewables into fast-growing electricity markets.