Opportunities and challenges of geothermal energy in Turkiye

As a domestic and non-intermittent resource, geothermal energy offers countries a clean and sustainable energy option while setting their energy mix strategies. Turkiye, endowed with rich energy fields, stands out as one of the fastest-growing countries in geothermal energy. The dramatic installed power capacity increase and significant expansion in the geothermal energy market, particularly after 2010 following the initiation of the incentive scheme, are pretty remarkable. Nonetheless, it is also evident that geothermal energy investments in the country have shown a decreasing trend in recent years. At this point, this paper aims to reveal the opportunities and challenges in the development of geothermal energy as the first comprehensive qualitative analysis for Turkiye. Furthermore, it evaluates the diffusion of geothermal energy in Turkiye based on the Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework to gain insight into the Turkish geothermal sector. According to the interviewees, financial and political barriers such as high investor costs, insufficient incentives for power generation, and the lack of incentives for direct utilization, along with lengthy and exhausting permitting processes, still hinder the prevalence of geothermal energy utilization in the country. Respondents find that Geothermal suggests a huge opportunity for the Green Energy transition in Turkiye and aids economic development through increases in employment opportunities and household welfare using combined uses in district heating, electricity, and greenhouse usage.