Turkey’s rapid shift to greener sources of energy has led to a sharp rise in its installed solar power over the last decade, with renewable investments expected to accelerate in the period ahead, TurkicWorld reports citing Daily Sabah.

The aim to generate a larger share of power from renewable sources stems from the country’s goal of lowing its hefty energy bill, as it imports almost all of its energy needs from abroad.

Its journey of producing energy from solar power started at just 40 megawatts (MW) back in 2014. It has now reached 7,816 megawatts, according to data compiled from the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

Turkey’s multiple support schemes throughout the years saw the installed solar power capacity rise to 249 MW in 2015, before rocketing to 833 MW a year later.

Still, the biggest leap was seen in 2017, when the figure reached 3,421 MW, a 311% year-over-year increase, according to the data.

Some 1,149 MW of installed capacity was added in 2021 alone.

Turkey’s renewable energy capacity is predicted to grow by over 50% through 2026, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The projection in the IEA’s annual Renewable Market Report last month showed the country’s renewable capacity growing by over 26 gigawatts (GW), or 53%, during the 2021-26 period, with solar and wind accounting for 80% of the expansion.