The MD of a Swiss solar developer which has just signed a 6.27 GW framework agreement with Chinese manufacturer Hareon Solar says Turkey‘s thirst for energy is behind the decision by the two companies to develop 3.3 GW of projects in the country over the next three years.
"Turkey's economic expansion means it needs 27 GW of new energy sources and the question is, how can they do that?," said Günther Stonig, MD of ILB Helios.
ILB signed the ambitious three-year framework agreement with Jiangsu-based Hareon to develop schemes across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, starting with 29 MW of schemes in the UK and a 100 kW project in Jordan as well as 225 MW in Turkey, by the end of the year.
8.9 GW bids for 600 MW auction
"The recent bidding round for 600 MW of solar in Turkey which we were not part of saw applications for 8.9 GW of projects submitted," Stonig told pv magazine. "Of course 600 MW cannot fulfill the country's energy needs."
ILB which, under the framework agreement, will develop projects exclusively for the vertically-integrated Hareon, has plans for a further 1.25 GW of schemes in Turkey next year part of a planned 2.17 GW total under the deal.
There is around a further 1.8 GW to follow in 2016 the peak year of the deal with a total 2.8 GW planned and in 2017, part of a 1 GW commitment in the contract's final year.
Under the agreement, ILB will also develop 160 MW in Jordan next year, 110 MW in Kazakhstan and 100 MW across Macedonia, Iran and Iraq in 2015, all emerging solar markets which, said Stonig, offer huge potential.
"Kazakhstan has a solar FIT and Iran has very good conditions for solar," added Stonig, "the price of energy in Iran is so low the profits are huge if it can be sold abroad, what is happening in Saudi Arabia tells us these countries can be very big solar markets."
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