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In 2024, global coal-fired power capacity additions reached their lowest level in 20 years at 44 GW, though net capacity still increased by 18.8 GW due to continued growth in China and India. While the EU saw a fourfold increase in retired capacity and the UK became the sixth country to fully exit coal since the Paris Agreement, China and India saw record-high numbers of new plant starts and proposals. In OECD countries, planned coal plants have dropped from 142 in 2015 to five today, with Turkey and Australia remaining among the few with active projects. Turkey specifically is noted as the only OECD country actively increasing coal-based electricity production, despite a 2053 net-zero target and the recent approval of an expansion at the Afşin-Elbistan complex.

The report calculates that the planned expansion of the Afşin Elbistan A Thermal Power Plant will cause significant public health damage and economic losses. In the first year of operation (2028), the project is estimated to cause 42 deaths and cost the economy 58.1 million USD. Over a 35-year operational period (2028-2063), the cumulative impact is projected to be 2,268 deaths and an economic cost of 2.6 billion USD, which the authors equate to the cost of building 29 hospitals with 500 beds each.

The report highlights that hybrid solar capacity in Turkey reached 510 MW by 2024, pushing total solar capacity to 12.2 GW and surpassing wind capacity. It emphasizes the role of wind-solar hybrids in stabilizing production and identifies a significant project pipeline of 1.9 GW. The document also explores the potential for floating solar on hydroelectric reservoirs, estimating a 17 GW potential across five major dams.

Türkiye's total solar capacity reached 12.2 GW by early 2024, surpassing wind capacity once 510 MW of secondary solar capacity from hybrid power plants is included. These hybrid plants, which combine a primary and secondary energy source at one location, are predominantly wind-solar combinations. While 1.9 GW of hybrid solar capacity is currently in the pipeline, the report highlights a lack of transparent capacity planning and the untapped potential of floating solar on hydroelectric reservoirs, which could provide up to 17 GW of capacity across five major plants.