SUSTAINABILITY

Project Owner: İzmir Development Agency (IDA)

Project Management: İzmir Institute of Technology Wind Energy Meteorology and Environmental Application and Research Center (IZTECHWind/RUZMER)

Project Manager: Assoc. Prof. Ferhat BİNGÖL, Head of IZTECH Wind

Duration: 2023-2025

The city of Izmir has one of the highest offshore wind energy capacities in Türkiye. IDA and IZTECHWind started collaboration on offshore wind measurements in 2021. The initial investigation used satellite wind measurements, and possible measurement locations were identified in 2022. The planning process started in 2023. A small island at Çandarlı Bey was selected for a meteorological mast erection, and necessary permissions are taken from the necessary state offices and municipalities. The production of the meteorological mast and the design started in late 2023, and finally, in July 2023, the mast was erected on the island. Initial tests are made until the beginning of 2024, and the latest measurement campaign design update started in February 2024. The measurement campaign will run until March 2025, complying with one full year of high-resolution wind measurements.

The measurement campaign aims to lower the uncertainty in ready-available large-scale wind models through validation and updating them if possible. The target users are wind energy investors and government decision-makers who will be informed with high-quality validation in their decision-making procedure. IDA plans to publish a final report with the data set prepared by IZTECH Wind and invite national and international stakeholders to invest in Izmir’s offshore energy.

Early results show that the region’s power capacity between Çandarlı, Aliağa and Karaburun has extensive resources, and the current campaign will help investors pinpoint locations at this zone for successful offshore wind farms. The final report of the project will be published in April 2025.