With the recent rise in energy costs both in Turkey and around the world, many business owners and industrial enterprises have begun searching for new ways to invest in solar energy systems (GES).

To support this transition, Turkey has been introducing new regulations and incentives to encourage and simplify renewable energy investments.

 

In the past, solar investments were limited to rooftop installations, under the principle of “generate where you consume.”

Later, regulations evolved — if the rooftop area was insufficient, you could install your system on a nearby piece of land within the same consumption point, provided that it complied with utility connection standards.

 

Now, the framework has advanced even further:

If you are within the same distribution region, but your consumption site has no available installation area, you are now permitted to generate energy from another property and associate it with your distant consumption point.

 

The state will even purchase your surplus energy, at the same rate it sells electricity to you. However, since the state incurs a transmission cost to deliver that energy to others, it charges a transmission fee of 0.29 TL/kWh for all electricity transmitted through the grid — identical to the tariff applied to unlicensed producers.

 

 

Example of a Land-Type GES Investment

 

Let’s assume a hotel or hospital with high annual energy consumption. Its tariff is categorized under “commercial” (recently renamed as Public or Private Sector Operators).

Suppose this facility has:

• A 1 MVA transformer
• 600 kVA contracted power
• Annual electricity consumption of 1,250,000 kWh

 

To meet this demand, it would need to install a minimum 1 MVA solar power plant.

However, such a system would require roughly 10,000 m² of unobstructed rooftop area — which most hotels lack.

 

Instead, the investor can establish a 1 MVA land-type solar plant (Arazi GES) within the same distribution region.

Before installation, the contracted power must be increased to 1 MVA, since the total AC capacity of the solar plant must match the consumption point’s contracted power.

 

If this were an industrial facility under the industrial tariff, it would be allowed to install a plant up to twice its contracted power, meaning it could go up to 1,200 kVA in this scenario.

 

 

Who Can Invest in a Land-Type GES?

Not everyone.

To invest in a land-based solar power system, you must either:

• Hold a generation license, or
• Be the owner of a consumption facility associated with the system.

 

If you simply own land and wish to build a solar power plant on it, you must also own a consumption point, or you must purchase a generation license from the state when new licensing rounds open.

 

 

Payback Period of Land-Based GES Investments

 

Let’s assume an average investment cost of 900 USD/kWp and an annual production rate of 1,500 kWh per kWp.

Electricity can be sold or net-metered under the industrial tariff, but both directions (buying and selling) incur the transmission fee applied to unlicensed producers — approximately 0.02 USD/kWh (or 28.76 kuruş).

 

If the sales price is 2.48 TL/kWh (around 0.14 USD/kWh), the net income becomes 0.12 USD/kWh.

 

So, for 1 kWp:

Annual income = 1,500 kWh × 0.12 USD = 180 USD/year

Investment return = 900 / 180 = 5 years ROI (Return on Investment)

 

Fluctuations in exchange rates, interest rates, or borrowing models may shift this by ±10%.

 

 

Key Considerations for Investors (by Orbit Energy A.Ş.)

 

When evaluating return-on-investment periods, please keep in mind:

• Energy is a global, dollar-indexed market, and prices may rise or fall based on global supply-demand balance.
• For long-term investments, manage borrowing carefully — ideally split your financing 50% local currency (TRY) and 50% USD to hedge against risk.
• Aim to finance at least 20% of the investment with your own equity capital.

 

The EPDK (Energy Market Regulatory Authority) tariff schedule can be found below.

 

EPDK Tarafından Onaylanan ve 1 Temmuz 2022 Tarihinden İtibaren Uygulanacak Faaliyet Bazlı Tarifeler
1/7/2022	Faaliyet Bazlı Tüketici Tarifeleri (kr/kWh)
Dağıtım Sistemi Kullanıcıları	Perakende Tek Zamanlı Enerji Bedeli	Perakende Gündüz Enerji Bedeli	Perakende Puant Enerji Bedeli	Perakende Gece Enerji Bedeli	Dağıtım Bedeli
Orta Gerilim
Çift Terimli
Sanayi	248,3714	251,3801	395,2221	135,2853	14,7972
Kamu ve Özel Hizmetler Sektörü ile Diğer (TİCARETHANE)	230,2455	232,5236	363,0085	128,7021	23,0611
Mesken	152,9207	155,4131	246,1925	82,8186	22,8419
Tarımsal Faaliyetler	157,6777	159,2914	251,4048	85,6839	18,9925
Aydınlatma	212,2218				22,1336
Tek Terimli
Sanayi	256,6870	259,8001	408,5735	139,7250	16,3448
Kamu ve Özel Hizmetler Sektörü ile Diğer	235,0787	237,3568	367,8417	133,5347	28,7660
Mesken	154,5685	157,0611	247,8392	84,4656	28,2039
Tarımsal Faaliyetler	159,7360	161,3497	253,4633	87,7413	23,6477
Aydınlatma	216,7131				27,6100
Alçak Gerilim
Tek Terimli
Sanayi	262,2851	265,2400	406,5304	151,2050	25,2888
Kamu ve Özel Hizmetler Sektörü ile Diğer (30 kWh/gün ve altı)	174,6438	246,0159	376,5007	142,1943	34,2716
Kamu ve Özel Hizmetler Sektörü ile Diğer (30 kWh/gün üstü)	243,7383	246,0159	376,5007	142,1943	34,2716
Mesken (8 kWh/gün ve altı)	95,5452	161,7720	252,5509	89,1764	33,5187
Mesken (8 kWh/gün üstü)	159,2790	161,7720	252,5509	89,1764	33,5187
Şehit Aileleri ve Muharip Malul Gaziler	38,7776				22,7335
Tarımsal Faaliyetler	164,3828	168,6088	258,1106	92,3882	28,1603
Aydınlatma	224,9134				32,8247
Genel Aydınlatma	262,0928				32,8247

 

 

The information provided above is valid up to August 2022. Future updates or regulatory changes may alter some of these details. While certain data may remain current, regulations and unit prices are subject to change over time.

 

For the most up-to-date information, please contact us through the forms available on our website www.orbitenerji.com or reach us by phone or email.