6th Turkish-German Energy Forum
On 27th November 2024, Berlin hosted the 6th Turkish-German Energy Forum, an essential platform for advancing energy cooperation between Türkiye and Germany. 300 key stakeholders from politics, business, civil society, and academia gathered to discuss strategies for achieving climate-neutral energy systems, with a focus on investment, collaboration, and innovation.
The forum’s first panel, “Bridging the Investment Gap in Germany and Türkiye – Financial Instruments for the Green Transition,” explored ways to mobilise the significant capital required for decarbonisation. Experts discussed how public and private funding mechanisms could address investment challenges in renewable energy, energy infrastructure, and industry transformation. Panellists highlighted the need for regulatory improvements, innovative financial tools, and stronger public-private partnerships to attract private investment. The discussion highlighted the urgency of meeting ambitious renewable energy targets while managing economic and fiscal constraints.
The plenary session, “The Power of Partnership,” featured addresses from Dr Robert Habeck, Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Dr Alparslan Bayraktar, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye. Both emphasised the importance of bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
Minister Habeck underscored the strategic role of energy partnerships in challenging global times. "Germany and Türkiye are close partners," he stated. "In the energy sector, I see great potential for deeper cooperation, especially in expanding renewable energies and green hydrogen." He praised the agreements signed during the forum, which he described as milestones for renewable energy collaboration.
Minister Bayraktar outlined Türkiye’s ambitious energy transition plans, including $100 billion in renewable energy investments by 2035. He invited German investors to partner in Türkiye’s efforts to increase wind and solar capacity from 31,000 MW to 120,000 MW by 2035. Minister Bayraktar also emphasised the transformative nature of Türkiye’s carbon-neutral goals, which aim to reshape its economy by 2053. Additionally, he proposed to broaden the scope of the Turkish-German Energy Partnership by fostering collaboration on critical raw materials and minerals essential for the energy transition and to rename it as the Turkish-German Energy and Minerals Forum accordingly.
A highlight of the forum was the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) between Turkish and German organisations, reinforcing their commitment to joint energy projects:
- Enerjisa Üretim and HAW Hamburg agreed to collaborate on research in green hydrogen and renewable energy.
- Nordex Enerji and POMEGA Enerji Depolama committed to developing integrated wind-energy storage solutions.
- Enercon Global, Enercon Türkiye, İş Enerji, and Polat Enerji formalised a major agreement to supply wind turbines, targeting up to 2,500 GW of wind power.
These agreements, signed in the presence of the ministers, showcased the depth of bilateral cooperation and set a foundation for future partnerships.
Following the plenary, Bayraktar and Habeck held bilateral talks to discuss strategic priorities in energy and trade. They also joined a roundtable with energy executives, where participants explored opportunities for enhancing collaboration in green hydrogen, renewable energy infrastructure, and other areas critical to the energy transition.
The forum concluded with a session highlighting the progress of the working groups of the Turkish-German Energy Partnership. Experts from both countries presented actionable recommendations for advancing joint initiatives, emphasising the importance of regulatory alignment and technology sharing.
In addition to the main programme, the forum included impactful side events. On 26th November, the Turkish-German Energy Start-up Ecosystem Meet-up fostered innovation and collaboration among entrepreneurs. The Women in the Energy Transition event on the morning of 27th November highlighted the critical role of women in driving sustainable energy solutions.
The 2024 Turkish-German Energy Forum reaffirmed the strong partnership between Türkiye and Germany, demonstrating shared commitment to tackling the challenges of the global energy transition. With ambitious investment plans, transformative agreements, and enhanced bilateral dialogue, the forum laid the groundwork for a more sustainable and cooperative energy future.
As Ministers Habeck and Bayraktar emphasised, this partnership is not only vital for the two nations but also serves as a model for international collaboration in achieving climate goals.
Photo copyright: Photothek Media Lab
