Geothermal energy capacity and legislation in Turkey

Abstract

The global energy requirement for sustaining economic activities, meeting social needs and social development is increasing daily. Environmentally friendly, 1 renewable energy resources are an alternative to the primary non-renewable energy resources, which devastate ecosystems in order to meet increasing demand. Among renewable energy sources such as hydropower, biopower, geothermal power and solar power, geothermal energy power offers distinct advantages to Turkey. There is an increasing tendency towards geothermal energy globally and the European Union has adjusted its legal regulations in this regard. As a potential EU Member state, Turkey is going through a similar process. The number of institutional and legal regulations concerning geothermal energy power has increased in recent years; technical infrastructure studies have been completed and some important steps taken in this regard. This study examines the way in which Turkey has developed support for geothermal energy power, presents a SWOT analysis of the geothermal energy power sector in Turkey and makes a projection for the concrete success expected to be accomplished in the future.