Potential and utilization of hydroelectric energy in Turkey

Abstract

Hydropower or water power is derived from the energy of falling water or fast running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes. The most common type of hydroelectric power plant uses a dam on a river to store water in a reservoir. Water released from the reservoir flows through a turbine, spinning it, which in turn activates a generator to produce electricity. Turkey has a total gross hydropower potential of 433 GWh/year, but only 125 GWh/year of the total hydroelectric potential of Turkey can be economically used. By the commissioning of new hydropower plants, which are under construction, 36% of the economically usable potential of the country would be tapped. This paper discusses the clean and sustainable electricity from hydropower in Turkey.