The Geothermal Energy Association (JED) of Türkiye recently hosted a delegation from Germany, considered as Türkiye’s most important trade partner. The visit was hosted in Aydin and was focused on geothermal energy, and how Türkiye was open to sharing expertise and technology in this field.
Arriving in Türkiye with an organization from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the German Energy Agency (DENA), and the German-Turkish Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AHK), the delegation first visited Türkiye’s first privately owned geothermal power plant, operating in Ayd?n under the auspices of Menderes Geothermal Elektrik Üretim A?. Hosted by Dr. Kutlu Çak?r, General Manager of Menderes Geothermal and Vice Chairman of the JED Board of Directors, the delegation received detailed information about the plant’s operating principles, reinjection, and environmental standards.
The German contingent also visited Sultan Sera, Türkiye’s largest-scale geothermal heated greenhouse project, which produces on an 80-acre area in the Kö?k district, and met with representatives of companies operating in the Turkish geothermal energy sector at a sectoral meeting.
Addressing German visitors at the meeting, JED Chairman Ali Kindap emphasized that Türkiye’s installed geothermal energy capacity is at 1,735 MW and stated that even with this production, which is far below potential, Türkiye is in fourth place in the world and a leader in Europe.
Kindap noted that Türkiye has a geothermal usage level of 7,000 MW, including integrated usage areas such as energy production, geothermal greenhouse farming, thermal tourism, residential heating, and fruit and vegetable drying. He added that this level corresponds to only 11% of the discovered potential in the country.
We are ready to share our energy
Ali Kindap noted that Türkiye has highly experienced companies and staff in the exploration, drilling, construction, commissioning, and operation stages of geothermal energy, adding that they are open to sharing all kinds of experience, knowledge, and technology with Germany in this field, as well as joint investment proposals.
JED Chairman of the Board Ali Kindap continued as follows:
“Türkiye and the Anatolian region contain the world’s richest geothermal resources. This has been the case for centuries. As the Turkish geothermal sector, we know that we have only utilized a fraction of our potential and that we have a long way to go. From this perspective, we are ready to share our knowledge, human resources, and inexhaustible energy with investors.
The Turkish geothermal sector also hosts very successful foreign investors in this regard. German businesspeople have been amazed by our country’s geothermal energy potential, examples of applications in electricity generation, residential heating, geothermal greenhouses, and tourism, as well as our modern facilities.
Our country has achieved success in geothermal greenhouse applications in recent years, attracting global attention. Our country, which has a potential for 150,000 acres of geothermal-heated greenhouses, currently has 7,000 acres of geothermal-heated greenhouses. With this capacity, which does not even reach 5 percent of our potential, we rank 7th in the world and 1st in Europe. Our Corporate Member Menderes Geothermal’s Sultan Sera investment is one of the most unique geothermal projects not only in our country but also in the world. We are proud that it is among the greenhouse investments.”
At the meeting, Cannur Bozkurt, a member of the JED Board of Directors and Business Development Director at Ignis Energy, also spoke about the current status of all of Türkiye’s geothermal resources. Bozkurt noted that the 2023 amendment to the Renewable Energy Resources Support Mechanism (YEKDEM) extended the purchase guarantee period for electricity generated by geothermal power plants from 10 to 15 years. She emphasized that Türkiye has become one of the world’s leading countries in geothermal greenhouse farming thanks to the integration of Organized Agricultural Zones (OTBs), whose number has increased rapidly in recent years, with geothermal energy.
Source: Email correspondence via our Turkish language platform JeotermalHaberler
