Solar Loan and Financing Options for Solar Panels in Turkey

For anyone looking for a solar loan, the short answer is this: in Turkey, the official and verifiable interest-subsidised item for solar investments exists especially for agricultural renewable energy investments. For home and business roofs, banks have their own products and interest rates are set per project. In this article we explain the current status of each option with dates, clear up common misinformation and offer a framework for deciding between cash and credit. Because conditions change often, always make the final decision by asking the institution concerned.

Where can a solar loan come from?

The table below summarises the options we could verify as of October 2026. Interest rate and term information is deliberately not given.

Agricultural renewable energy credit: Communiqué 2024/15

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Communiqué No. 2024/15 (Official Gazette 1 May 2024, issue 32533) covers 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026. Under the communiqué, an investment loan based on a test report can be granted for renewable energy systems that meet the holding's energy needs; solar equipment and installation requests for the irrigation facilities of irrigation associations are also considered. "Use of renewable/waste energy" is also an additional interest-discount criterion. Applications are made at Ziraat Bank and Tarım Kredi (the agricultural credit cooperatives). According to the support summary, the total interest discount can be up to 100%; however, we could not verify the discount rate and upper limit for the "agricultural renewable energy investments" item from the official table, so we give no figure.

The phrase "0% interest, 5-year solar loan" often heard in the market is not an official product name but installer marketing language. The official framework is a criteria-based interest discount, and the programme ends on 31 December 2026. This programme matters for greenhouse growers in Kumluca and Finike and for irrigating producers in Korkuteli and Elmalı in Antalya; for details, see our article on agricultural irrigation solar applications and support.

Bank solar loans: what should you ask?

Banks may offer their own products for home and business rooftop solar systems. However, because interest rates and terms are set project by project, we do not state any rate or term here; you need to get this information from the bank branch as it stands. Before applying, ask these questions:

• What are the monthly interest and total repayment amount? Ask for the annual effective cost and fee items in writing.
• What are the term and early-closure conditions? Find out whether there is an early repayment penalty.
• Which documents are required? Ask when documents such as the quote, project approval and connection approval letter (çağrı mektubu) are needed.
• At what stage is payment made? Find out whether the loan is disbursed at equipment delivery, installation or acceptance.
• Is there an insurance or collateral requirement? It may add cost.

The process with the financing institution runs separately from your technical quote. Having panel, inverter, battery, mounting structure and installation items written separately in the quote can make the credit assessment easier for you; ask your institution which documents are required. We explained how to read quote items in our article on solar panel prices.

Who can consider which route in Antalya?

For homeowners in Konyaaltı, Muratpaşa and Kepez, the practical option is usually bank products or cash payment. In agriculture-heavy districts such as Kumluca, Finike, Demre and Korkuteli, greenhouse growers and irrigating producers can examine the interest-subsidised agricultural credit framework. Businesses around Aksu and the Antalya OSB (organised industrial zone) compare bank credit with the company's own resources. Which route suits depends on your subscriber group and the scale of the investment; it is therefore sensible to firm up the technical quote first and then move on to the financing discussion.

KOSGEB and other support for industry

The KOSGEB (Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organisation) Green Industry Support Programme 2023-01 call covers rooftop solar investments by industrial SMEs; the upper limit is 14,000,000 TL, the standard support rate is 60% and the project period is 8-12 months. The key point is this: this support is repayable, that is, it is not a grant. According to the call text, a valid connection approval letter (çağrı mektubu) is required. Because the application window was 8 December 2023 to 30 November 2024, the call has closed; we could not verify an open call today. The statement "KOSGEB gives grants for rooftop solar" is therefore wrong.

According to the TKDK (Agriculture and Rural Development Support Institution) IPARD III ranking criteria document, construction and equipment items for renewable energy production for own consumption are considered in scoring, and verification is done through the connection agreement. Because grant rates by measure and call dates have not been verified, confirm the current call with TKDK before applying. For feasibility at business scale, see our article on rooftop solar investment for businesses.

Cash or credit? A comparison framework

When deciding, apply this simple test: is the monthly instalment below the system's average benefit for that month? The seasonal difference matters here. According to PVGIS, while 1 kWp in central Antalya produces 1,656 kWh a year, it produces 99 kWh in December and 168 kWh in July; that is, December is about 6% of annual output and July about 10%. Because the instalment is fixed, the benefit may fall below the instalment in winter months and rise above it in summer. So make the comparison on an annual basis.

Remember that the annual benefit calculation has two separate prices: energy consumed at home is valued at the total unit charge on the bill, while surplus fed to the grid is valued at the tariff's single-rate active energy unit price. For the details of the calculation, see our article on how to calculate the payback period of solar energy.

If you will use credit, another critical point is adding the financing cost to the payback calculation. Interest and fees raise the total cost of the investment; the simple payback period therefore lengthens compared with a cash purchase. To weigh this over the lifetime, also remember the panel performance warranty: the TommaTech 605 W TOPCon model has a 30-year performance warranty, and the linear warranty foresees 87.4% in year 30. The loan term is far shorter than this; that is, after the loan ends the system keeps producing. Still, the situation differs for components other than the panel: the standard inverter warranty is 5 years and the battery warranty varies by model (for example 60 months for one TommaTech LV battery model). If your loan term is longer than these warranty periods, you should also plan for inverter or battery replacement before the end of the term.

Regulatory timing in loan planning

When planning financing, it helps to know the official time limits of the application process. For rooftop systems up to 25 kW, there are 90 days from notification of the connection approval letter (çağrı mektubu) for project approval; the connection agreement is signed within 15 days after project approval; acceptance must be completed within 1 year of the connection agreement. Running the system before acceptance is prohibited: if detected, the connection is cut, the equipment must be removed within 60 days and a 3-year application ban follows (Official Gazette 14 May 2024). Plan the loan disbursement and the installation and acceptance timetable so that they fit together. There is no official figure for how many weeks the whole process will take, so do not accept a fixed-date commitment.

In addition, main equipment such as panels, inverters and batteries must have been manufactured within the last five years. Make sure equipment financed by credit meets this condition. You can find the application steps in our article on the rooftop solar application.

Pre-loan checklist

• Get a written, line-by-line quote and clarify the VAT position.
• Work out annual production and benefit with three scenarios.
• Compare total instalments and interest with the annual net benefit.
• Verify the programme's end date (e.g. 31 December 2026) and the application conditions.
• Match the application, approval and acceptance timetable to the loan disbursement.

Conclusion

On the solar loan question, the verifiable official item is the interest-subsidised programme for agricultural investments, which ends at year-end; on home and business roofs, banks' own products apply. Treat claims such as "0% interest" and "grant" with caution and learn the current conditions from the institutions themselves. For the technical quote, survey and design, you can use our calculation tool or request a free site survey from Solar Nexo.

#Cost and Investment#Solar Loan#Financing#Agricultural Credit#Kosgeb