Providing clean energy for local communities in Turkey

Background

The Mersin Wind Farm Project is located in Mut district of Mersin province, Turkey. Currently, Turkey’s energy supply is predominantly sourced from burning fossil fuels, releasing polluting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This wind farm generates clean energy from wind power, displacing the need to burn fossil fuels. 

About the project

This wind farm is home to 14 wind turbines, producing 208,076 MWh of energy per year. This energy feeds directly into the national grid, improving the overall percentage of renewable energy in Turkey. 

Creating more renewable energy means less fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity. Wind energy produces no greenhouse gases, making it a carbon neutral fuel source. As a direct result of this project, 77,810.4 tonnes of CO2 will be avoided every year from entering the atmosphere. 

This project is certified to the highest level by Gold Standard, as approved by the UN. Read more about Gold Standard’s certification process. 

The impacts and benefits of this project: 

Environmental benefits: 

• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels 
• Improving air quality by reducing pollution

Social benefits: 

• Stimulating growth of the wind power industry in Turkey
• Diversifying electricity generation mix in Turkey’s national grid
• Training and employment opportunities – A total 24 workers are employed at the plant, all of whom receive a stable income and training. 
• Project developers supporting education in the region. 30-40 students are enrolled in a scholarship programme to benefit their education. 

Several measures have been taken by the project developers to protect the natural environment around the wind farm site, including: 

• 2000 trees planted to compensate for the land occupied by the turbine site
• Painting turbines with reflective paint to reduce collision risk from birds and bats
• Prior to building the wind turbines, research was conducted to make sure the site was not in the path of any major bird or bat migration routes.
• Turbines with reduced noise generation selected to reduce noise pollution

Sustainable Development Goals

One of the requirements of Gold Standard certification is that the projects meet at least 3 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, of which one is climate action. This means that as well as fighting climate change by offsetting carbon emissions, the projects your money is supporting contribute to sustainable development for ecosystems and communities around the world. 

The goals met by this project are: 

7. Affordable and clean energy – Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity

Providing 208,076 MWh of clean energy per annum.

8. Decent work and economic growth – Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs.

Providing between 20 – 25 jobs for locals. 

13. Climate action

Reduction of 116,436 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Read more about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

Your impact

You can see a record of our donation to this project on our public ledger. And you can also view global contributions to this project on Gold Standard’s impact registry. 

Thanks to the contributions of our members, we are reducing carbon emissions for a more sustainable future.

Check out the other carbon offsetting and tree planting projects that we support.