Turkey plans to spur local companies to make wind turbines to curb imports that may cost $20 billion over 20 years, its main scientific research agency said.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan supports legal changes on state purchasing to allow the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, or Tubitak, to set up companies and spur technology transfers, Chairman Yucel Altunbasak said. The agency wants to take stakes in startups, and may give Turkish manufacturers research and technical assistance, he said.
“There are legal problems with Tubitak forming commercial ventures or companies and we’re working on overcoming them,” he said today in Ankara. Tubitak is also supporting development of local auto, aviation, missile and radar technology, he said.
Turkey is seeking to cut a current-account deficit of about 10 percent of gross domestic product by reducing its dependence on imported energy and encouraging local manufacturing output.
To contact the reporter on this story: Ali Berat Meric in Ankara at americ@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Andrew J. Barden at barden@bloomberg.net
via Turkey Plans to Support Domestic Production of Wind Turbines – Bloomberg.