While Türkiye’s current account deficit has reached 82 billion dollars, the only way to reduce it is through production, especially export-oriented industry. At this very point, encouraging developments have started to unfold. BYD is no longer just a rumor—it is a confirmed investor. The foundations have been laid in Manisa, and production is about to begin. Meanwhile, Chery has signed an official agreement to establish a factory in Samsun. Together with BYD and Chery, the production volume created by Chinese companies in Türkiye is expected to exceed 60 billion dollars. This presents a tremendous leap opportunity for the Turkish economy.

Everything looks bright: investments are coming, factories are being built, and employment is rising.

 

But Is Türkiye’s Energy Infrastructure Ready for This Growth?

As Industry Grows, Energy Hunger Grows Too…

In China’s Henan province, BYD’s mega factory is redefining industrial scale. The facility in Zhengzhou is expanding to cover 129 km² with its first four phases. To put this into perspective: the entire city of San Francisco, USA, is 121 km². In other words, just one BYD production complex is as large as a global metropolis. This massive scale demonstrates not only production capacity but also China’s bold stance in the global industrial arena.

The annual energy consumption of this single factory is around 1.3 terawatt-hours (TWh)—equivalent to the annual electricity use of over 150,000 households in Türkiye! Now imagine one of these factories being established in Manisa. The question arises: Where will the energy to run it come from?

China’s investment plans in Türkiye are not limited to automotive. They also extend to electronics, solar panels, lithium batteries, and heavy industry—all highly energy-intensive sectors. Currently, more than 1,200 Chinese companies are active in Türkiye, with a total investment volume exceeding 7 billion dollars. This figure is expected to double in the next five years.

And we’re only talking about the energy consumption of these facilities. Now consider the impact of the electric vehicles produced here on Türkiye’s automotive ecosystem. What does this mean? A massive surge in energy demand.

 

The Conventional Grid Cannot Handle This Load

Türkiye’s energy infrastructure cannot always keep pace with the rapidly growing industry. Sudden spikes strain the balance between supply and demand. High-consumption factories require round-the-clock energy, but conventional sources cannot provide this flexibility.

This is exactly where renewable energy sources step in. Solar and wind energy are the most suitable, environmentally friendly solutions to meet this demand. But they have a challenge: intermittency. The sun doesn’t shine at night, and wind doesn’t always blow.

So, what is the solution? Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

These systems are the only way to carry the electricity generated by solar and wind during the day into the night and peak production hours. At the same time, they:

• Balance grid load,

• Prevent system collapse during peak demand,

• Ensure sustainability in energy supply,

• Guarantee uninterrupted industrial production.

Without storage, renewables are insufficient. And this is not just a choice—it is a necessity.

 

Türkiye’s Outlook in Numbers

• By 2030, industrial energy demand in Türkiye is expected to increase by 40%.

• By 2025, each large-scale Chinese factory established in Türkiye will require an additional 200–400 million kWh of electricity annually.

• Currently, 56% of Türkiye’s total electricity generation is still fossil-based.

• The government aims to reverse this ratio through YEKA (Renewable Energy Resource Area) tenders.

But these goals are impossible without increasing storage capacity.

 

Where Does This Lead Us?

Are Chinese investments an opportunity for Türkiye? Yes.
But what will carry this opportunity is not just infrastructure—it is energy planning.

If Türkiye wants to turn these investments into true development, energy storage systems must become an integral part of every new industrial zone.

Otherwise, there will be electricity but no voltage; there will be investment but no efficiency.