Why Geothermal Energy?
Geothermal energy can be defined as heat energy contained by hot water and steam which is heated by a magma focus located deep seated in the crust and containing more dissolved material than regular surface and ground waters in its vicinity. In other words, geothermal energy is a foreign independent, domestic, new, renewable, sustainable, inexhaustible, cost-efficient, reliable, environmentally friendly and green energy type. One of the most important characteristics of geothermal energy different from other underground resources is that it has a
Even thought geothermal energy is renewable, domestic and cost-effective, it should be kept in mind that anything that you do not protect and look after does not belong to you and it is bound perish and vanish.
THE SOLUTION ADRESS OF ENERGY NEEDS (EGS) HOT DRY ROCK SYSTEM
There are hot dry rocks especially at youn, active volcanic belts, regions where geothermal gradient is significantly high are present with high temperatures and devoid of hot water. EGS includes advanced tools and techniques, to crate artificial permeability and heat (with water or another fluid) that enable to produce geothermal energy. These experimental studies began at the end of the 1970s and gained further momentum in the early 2000s. In recent years, fracturing techniques were developed with the studies of shale gas and allows the progress of the EGS system.
EGS systems have commercial developed with the succesful trials in America, Germany and Australia. In last a few years, the number of commercial projects increased at Europe.
• In Turkey geothermal energy is 1 % of total electricity production, according to expectations this rate will increase in the coming years.
• The production share of geothermal energy should be planned 10 % in the future targets and EGS have great effects for achieving this target.
ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF EGS CONCEPT
Comparison of Traditional and Enhanced Geothermal Systems for Turkey
Production of geothermal energy with tradional metods in Turkey, (Installed Capacity):
• As of 2010 : 95 MWe
• As of 2015 : 427 MWe
• As of 2024 : 1700 MWe
• As of 2050 : 5000 MWe
Estimated electricity production with EGS process in Turkey: min 20.000 MWe (Şen, 2013).
In addition, Mertoğlu and his friends estimated it 25000 MWe. (2015b) According to our estimations, about 9000 MW of geothermal energy, which corresponds to sufficient energy for all the electrical operation vechicles in our country. This provides $ 18 million an annual gain.