Growing up in Türkiye, I saw up close how decisions about energy were usually made by a small, powerful group – most of the time putting profit before people and the planet. Over the years, I came to believe that real energy change wouldn’t come from the top down, but from communities themselves. That belief is what led me to spend the last 17 years with the Troya Environmental Association, working to grow renewable energy cooperatives and put power – literally and politically – back into people’s hands.
Oral Kaya at Troya Enviornmental Association
In the last few years, Türkiye’s renewable energy scene has changed fast. By September 2025, the country’s total installed electricity capacity reached 121,418 MW, and our solar capacity doubled in just two and a half years. That’s huge. It shows clearly that Türkiye has massive renewable potential, and that we could be even more ambitious if we chose to be.
But big numbers alone don’t tell the full story. The real question is: who benefits from this growth? This is where energy cooperatives really matter. A 2025 report by 350 Türkiye shows that while the country aims to reach 120 GW of combined solar and wind capacity, getting there in a fair way – not just pumping out megawatts – depends on active citizen participation. Without people at the center, the energy transition risks becoming just another business model for the elites.
Right now, energy cooperatives in Türkiye face real challenges. The rules are complicated, the permits take forever, and the system clearly favors large investors. Even when communities come together to start a coop, getting grid access, licenses, and financing can be slow, frustrating, and uncertain. Many great ideas struggle just to survive.
Troya Environmental Association meeting with communities in Türkiye, July 2025.
That’s exactly why I joined the Empower Our Future campaign led by 350 Türkiye. This campaign is all about strengthening community power in the energy transition – supporting local groups and citizens to take control of how energy is produced and used. It pushes for fair rules for cooperatives, awareness around community energy, and a future where clean power isn’t owned by just a few, but shared by many.
When I think about the future I want for Türkiye, I don’t just imagine more solar panels and wind turbines. I imagine neighbourhoods and towns running their own microgrids. I imagine transparent, democratic energy systems where people actually get a say – and where the money generated stays in the community instead of flowing to distant corporations.
To make that future real, we need strong laws that support cooperatives, make licensing and grid access simpler, and open the door to real community ownership of energy. And we will get there – I’m confident we will make renewable energy cooperatives possible, accessible and easy to set up in Türkiye soon.
Energy is not just a product to be sold. It’s a public good. And as I see more panels going up on rooftops, more local projects taking shape, and more people realizing they have a right to be part of these decisions, I become even more hopeful. That’s what keeps me going – and why I’ll keep pushing for a people-powered energy future!