Sustainability Policies and Energy Communities in Türkiye’s Energy Transformation

This paper discusses sustainability policy, energy communities, and other related topics in the context of Türkiye’s energy transition. The discussion is placed within the framework of global trends toward increasing shares of renewables and new models in the energy sector worldwide, presented by a comparative analysis that includes Türkiye’s renewable capacity expansion and relevant national policies about Net Zero 2053 targets. The quantitative part was conducted in R based on TEİAŞ(2024), TÜİK(2025) most recent available national datasets at the time this research was carried out to check possible correlations between installed renewable capacity by type, GDP growth as well as import dependency ratio. The results indicate that Türkiye’s renewable energy transition has progressed rapidly, particularly in solar and wind, yet remains uneven across regions and institutions. Despite strong growth in generation capacity, regulatory coordination, financing limitations, and limited public engagement continue to constrain the overall transition process. Findings further show that strengthening local energy communities and improving institutional collaboration are essential for achieving a more balanced and resilient transition. Empirical evidence from this study also confirms that community-based renewable initiatives enhance both environmental performance and social inclusion, underscoring their strategic importance in Türkiye’s pathway toward sustainable energy.