GEOTHERMAL APPLICATION EXPERIENCES IN TURKEY

Orhan Mertoglu, Nilgun Bakir, Tevfik Kaya

ORME Jeotermal A.S., Ankara/Turkey; Hosdere Cad. 190/7-8-12,Cankaya, orme-f@tr.net

Keywords: Turkey, geothermal heating, balneology, electricity, mineral recovery

Abstract

Utilization area of geothermal energy is mostly focussed on direct use applications in Turkey.
Today 61.000 residences equivalence is being heated geothermally (665 MWt, including
residences, thermal facilities, 565.000 m2 greenhouse heating). Moreover, with the balneological
utilisation of geothermal fluids in 195 spa’s (327 MWt), the geothermal direct use capacity is 992
MWt. ORME Geothermal Inc has completed the engineering designs of nearly 300.000 residences
equivalence geothermal district heating system.

170 geothermal fields (Figure 1) have been explored in Turkey. There is a single flash power
plant with 20,4 MWe installed capacity. A liquid CO2 and dry ice production factory is
integrated to this power plant. A binary cycle geothermal power plant with an installation
capacity of 25 MWe is going to be constructed at Aydin/Germencik.

The proven geothermal heat capacity according to the existing geothermal wells and natural
discharges is 3132 MWt [1].

1. INTRODUCTION

There are 11 city based geothermal district heating systems in Turkey. These geothermal
district heating systems have been constructed since 1987 and many development has been
achieved in technical and economical aspects. The rapid development of geothermal district
heating systems in Turkey is mostly depending on;

- construction of suitable geothermal district heating systems according to Turkey’s

conditions,
- participation of the consumers to the geothermal district heating investments by about
50 % without any direct financing refund,
- geothermal heating is about % 50-70 cheaper than natural gas heating.

Beside of geothermal heating of the residences, 26 thermal facilities are geothermally heated
in Turkey.

With the total geothermal heat potential of 31500 MWt and 2000 MWe geothermal electricity
production potential, 5 % of the electricity demand and 30 % of the heat energy demand of
Turkey can be met. This equals to 14% (average weighted mean) of the total energy demand
of Turkey [2].

The total geothermal heat potential of 31500 MWt equals to the heating of 200 Million m2
greenhouses heating or is equal to 5 Million residences heating in Turkey.
There is a high thermal tourism potential in Turkey. Moreover combining thermal tourism
with the sea/sun/cultural tourism brings important economical development to the region and
country.

The portion of geothermal in Turkey’s total electricty production in 2002 is 0,05 % [3].

N
Bulgaria BLACK SEA
Georgia

Edirne
Sinop
Kırklareli

Kastamonu
Greece Tekirdağ İstanbul Zonguldak
Samsun Artvin
1
1
Kocaeli Sakarya
2 Rize1
1
Ordu Trabzon Armenia
Yalova 12 Çankırı
3 Amasya Giresun 2
2
3
2 5 6 1 Bolu
4 1 1 3 Kars
Çanakkale 3 3 Çorum 2
Tokat 2
7 6 1 13 12 1 Gümüşhane
1
Bursa2 Bayburt 2
8 9 5 1
2 1 4 3 4 Bilecik 8 1 Erzurum
0 9
5 7 1 4 10 6 3
1 9 8 6 75 1
8 0 3 1 1
Balıkesir 5 6 2 Eskişehir 6 Ankara Yozgat Erzincan
4 Sivas 4 Ağrı 1
11 5
5 2 4
3 2 Kütahya 4 3
2 7 8 Kırşehir 7 2
4 1 3 9 10 3 3 1 Tunceli 4
1 2
5 12 2 2 Bingöl
1 2
8 4 1 1
Muş 2
5 4 4
1 3 1 1 3 1
0 6 Manisa 2 1 Afyon Nevşehir
1 Kayseri
6
1 Van
2
1 Uşak 3 Elazığ
1 İzmir 2 2
7
8 9 2 1 5 Malatya Iran
1
Bitlis
3 7 9 5 2 Aksaray 4
1 5
2 13 3 1
1 2 1 Diyarbakır
Denizli 1 1
5 4 6 7 4 7 Niğde Kahraman Siirt
1 Isparta Konya Maraş 2

AEGEAN Aydın
2
Burdur 4
1
Adıyaman
1
Hakkari
2
SEE 5 3 Mardin
4 Şanlıurfa
Muğla 1
1 2 Antalya Adana
Mersin Gaziantep

Hatay
Iraq
Syria
1
MEDITERRANEAN SEA Scale: 1/10.000.000

BURSA ERZURUM MANİSA TOKAT

AFYON ANKARA AYDIN DİYARBAKIR NİĞDE
1. Çekirge 1. Ilıca KIRŞEHİR 1. Kurşunlu
1. Ömer-Gecek 1. Kızılcahamam 1. Germencik-Ömerbeyli 1. Çermik 1. Narköy 1. Sulusaray
2. Karamustafa 2. Pasinler 1. Terme 2. Urganlı
2. Arapderesi 2. Haymana 2. Çamköy- Alangüllü 2. Çiftehan 2. Reşadiye
3. Kemalpaşa 3. Kığızhan 2. Mahmutlu 3. Sart
3. Heybeli 3. Seyhamamı 3. Salavatlı 3. Niksar
4. Oylat 4. Meman 3. Karakurt 4. Saraycık
4. Gazlıgöl 4. Dutluca 4. Şehir içi- İmamköy BOLU 4. Bulamaçlı RİZE
5. Kaya-sada-/Orhaneli ELAZIĞ 5. Menteşe Ş.URFA
5. Hüdai (Sandıklı) 5. Ayaş 5. Gümüşköy 1. Merkez 1. Kolan 1. Ayder
K. MARAŞ 6. Şehitler (Emir-Kula) 1. Karaali
6. Ayaş-Çoban 6. Davutlar 2. Sarıot DENİZLİ 2. İkizdere- Ilıcaköy
AĞRI 7. Cunuk-meliksah 3. Kesenözü-Seben İZMİR 1. Süleymanlı 7. Horzum Sazdere
1. Kızıldere 8. Eskihisar UŞAK
1. Diyadin- Yılanlı 8. Murted BALIKESİR 4. Efteni 2. Tekkehamamı 1. Balçova KAYSERİ ORDU 1. Banaz
9. Kinik 5. Göynük- Çatak 2. Seferhisar- Doğanbey 9. Alaşehir- K.dere 1. Fatsa
1. Gönen 3. Gölemezli 1. Tekgöz- Yemlihan 2. Eşme- Örencik
10. Susuz 2. Hisaralan 6. Babas 4. Karahayıt 3. Doğanbey Burnu 2. Bayramhacı
AKSARAY SAKARYA
11. Malikoy 3. Hisarköy 5. Kamara-Yenice 4. Dikili- Kaynarca 3. Çiftgöz- Himmetdede VAN
1. Ziga MUĞLA 1. Akyazı
12. Atca 4. Pamukçu ÇANAKKALE 6. Pamukkale 5. Bergama-Dibek- 4. Kuşçu- Eskimentes 1. Hasanabdal- Zilan
1. Delibey 2. Taraklı- Kil Ham.
13. Yilanli 5. Kepekler 1. Tuzla 6. Bademli 5. Özbölükler 2. Zereni
6. Havran- Derman 2. Kestanbol ESKİŞEHİR 7. Çeşme 2. Sultaniye
KÜTAHYA SAMSUN
BİTLİS 7. Dağ ılıcası- Ekşidere 1. Sarıcakaya-Sakarılıca 8. Şifne 3. Fethiye-Gebeler YALOVA
3. Hıdırlar 1. Eynal 1. Havza
AMASYA 1. Nemrut 8. Güre 2. Merkez- Hasırca 9. Nebiler 4. Rızaçavuş 1. Termal
4. Kumılıcası- Yenice 2. Naşa 2. Ladik
1. Hamamözü 2. Güroymak- Ilıcaköy 9. Kızıkköy- Manyas 3. Hamam- Karahisar 10.Aliağa 5. Selgirme 2. Armutlu
5. Ozancık 3. Çiftgöl
2. Gözlek 10.Yıldız 6. Kırkgeçit 4. Yarikci 11. Bayındır- Dereköy 4. Abide- Gediz MARDİN SİİRT YOZGAT
3. Terziköy ÇANKIRI 7. Kara (Tepe) Köy 5. Uyuzhamami 5. Yoncalı 1. Germiab 1. Billirus
6. Yalinli 1. Köhne (Sorgun)
BİNGÖL 1. Çavundur 8. Çan 6. Kızılsın (Ilıcaköy) 2. Hısta Çermiği 2. Cavlak (Boğazlıyan)
1. Kös 7. Inonu KONYA
9. Küçükçetmi 1. Ilgın 7. Emet NEVŞEHİR 3. Sarıkaya
HATAY 2. Hacıköy 10.Külcüler (Bayramiç) 8. Sivrihisar 8. Yeniceköy SİVAS
1. Hamamat MALATYA 9. Cifteler 2. Yeşildağ 1. Kozaklı 4. Yerköy (Uyuz)
3. Harur 1. İspendere 9.Dereli- Günlüce 1. Sıcak Çermik 5. Karadikmen
10. İhsaniye 3. Beyşehir 2. Acıgöl
4. Hızavit 10. Sarmık 2. Akçaağıl 6. Kara mağara
11. Alpanos 4. İsmil
11. Muratdağı 7. Boğazlıyan Uzunlu
12. Hamamköy

Figure 1: Geothermal fields of Turkey

2. GEOTHERMAL DISTRICT HEATING APPLICATIONS

District heating systems have been started with the installment of geothermal district heating
systems in Turkey. Below are the important points, which makes geothermal more
adventagous compared to other energy sources:
1- As the geothermal heat selling price is held constant for the whole year, the geothermal heating
projects are supported by the consumers. Geothermal heating fee including hot sanitary water varies
from 14 – 28 $/month for 100 m2 residence for the existing geothermal district heating systems in
Turkey. As this fee remains the same for the whole year in Turkish Lira basis and is not reflected
from the rate of exchange, this brings an important economical advantage to the consumers if
compared with fossil fuel types.
2- The existing heating systems are connected to geothermal district heating systems directly.
3- The radiator area previously designed according to 90/70 °C temperature interval for
conventional heating systems, has not caused any problem at temperature intervals like in 80/40 °C,
80/45 °C and 70/50 °C by geothermal as could be seen in some examples. This shows that the
radiator heating surface in original had been set larger than necessary before.
4- The investment amount per residence of the GDHS varied between 1,250 – 1800 USD in Turkey
(radiator installation in the residence excluded). The geothermal district heating investments are
paying themselves back commercially in 5-8 years in the investment conditions of Turkey.
Moreover, they have a relatively low initial and operational costs and low selling price of heat in
comparison to conventional fuels (coal, fuel-oil etc.).
5- About 40-50% of the investment has been paid by the consumers as a connection subscription fee
like cash in capital. As a result of this, the economy of GDHS investments is getting to a better
position.

To utilize the geothermal fluid in maximum, the leaving temperature of the fluid is kept as
minimum as possible. To achieve this goal, it is needed to control the radiator return water
temperature of the buildings. The control of the radiator return water temperature is done with self
operating, flow, temperature and pressure difference control valves. Logicaly, the less the return
water temperature entering the heat exchanger in the Heat Center, the more heat is extracted from
geothermal fluid, and the more the geothermal fluid is utilized. The circulation pump is controlled
by means of a PC network that leads pumping of adequate amount of water to the city.

Heat consumption in GDHS are variable according to the outdoor temperature. Thus, the energy
amount supplied to the consumers is also variable. This variability could be obtained by holding the
water temperature to and from the consumers constant and leading variable flowrate use instead of
variable temperature. So, to hold the temperature constant prevents the damage at the pipes forming
due to the temperature difference, replies immediately and 100% to the different heat demands of
the consumers and its operational cost is much lower. To save electricity (because, electricity cost is
9 cent/kWh), geothermal water and chemical substances, the related pumps are running in
accordance with the variable speed drivers. Due to good operation plan and full automatic control of
variable speed driver pumping system, the electricity consumption rate decreases 63% annually. In
order to prevent corrosion and scaling in the well, geothermal water transportation line and close
circulation networks, corrosion and scale inhibitors are used with water treatment plant and pH
control system.
Heating has been done mostly by coal and other
fossil fuels, which is also now mostly the case in
Turkey. This results in serious air-pollution in
big cities. Kirsehir City was the third mostly air
polluted city of Turkey, before 1800 residences
were geothermaly heated in the city center. With
the use of geothermal district heating system, air
pollution has been reduced in important amounts
(Figure 2).

Due to geothermal district heating systems, the

spaces used for storing the fuels and boilers have
Figure 2: Kirsehir geothermal district been emptied and could be used for more useful
heating center purposes.

Because of the high temperature, long mean time between the failures, low repair cost and
availability of spare parts (most of them) as locally LSP system (line shaft pump) has been
used in geothermal wells. In LSP system, filtered geothermal water has been used as a
lubricant which is supplied to the line shaft bearings through the enclosing tube. Water
lubrication system has been selected instead of oil lubrication system, because of the fact that,
some of the geothermal brine is being used for balneological purposes after heating the supply
water by means of heat exchangers (40-50°C).

Operational capacities of the existing city based geothermal district heating systems (GDHS) and
their integrated geothermal applications in Turkey are as follows (Table 1):
City Name Geoth. Integrated Year of Geoth. Geoth. Heating Fee
Heating Geoth. Start up Water paid by the Resid.
Capacity Appl. Temp. ($) (2002/2003 winter
(Res.Equiv.) (°C) season)**
GONEN 3400 B, I 1987 80 27
SIMAV 3200 B, G 1991 120 26
KIRSEHIR 1800 B 1994 57 21
KIZILCAHAMAM 2500 B, G 1995 80 21
IZMIR-BALCOVA 11500 B 1996 137 19
AFYON* 4500 G 1996 95 25
KOZAKLI* 1000 G 1996 90 28
IZMIR-NARLIDERE 1500 - 1998 98 19
DIYADIN* 400 B 1999 70 n.d.***
SANDIKLI 2000/5000 B 2000 70 14
SALIHLI 2000/20.000 B 2002 94 15
Table 1: Operational capacities of the existing city based GDHS and their integrated geothermal
applications in Turkey (B: Balneology, I: Industrial Use, G: Greenhouse, *Construction is
not realized by ORME, ** 1 $ = 1.650.000 TL, January 2003, *** not defined yet)

3. GEOTHERMAL GREENHOUSE HEATING APPLICATIONS

The total area of greenhouses heated by geothermal energy is 565.000 m2 (131 MWt) in
Turkey. In Sanliurfa city 106.000 m2 geothermal greenhouses exist, where the yield obtained
from the greenhouses is exported to Europe [4].

The existing geothermal greenhouses in Turkey are as the following (Table 2):
LOCATION AREA (m2) CAPACITY LOCATION AREA CAPACITY
2
(MWt*) (m ) (MWt*)
Sanliurfa 106.000 24,5 Dikili 120.000 24
Simav 120.000 33 Gölemezli 1000 0,2
Sindirgi 2000 0,4 Seferihisar 6000 1,06
Afyon 5500 1,5 Bergama 2000 0,4
Kizildere 10750 2,4 Germencik 500 0,1
Balcova 100.000 17,6 Edremit 49.620 8,7
Kestanbol 2000 0,4 Ezine 1500 0,3
Saraykent 2000 0,6 Niksar 500 0,14
Tekkehamam 8000 1,8 Kizilcahamam 5000 1,45
Yalova 600 0,12 Gediz 8500 2,1
Kozakli 4000 1,2 Canakkale-Tuzla 50.000 9
Table 2: The existing geothermal greenhouses in Turkey (*Load factor is 0,6)

A 100 m2 geothermal heat pump assisted greenhouse project in Erzurum City is approved by
UNDP Energy for Sustainable Development Thematic Trust Funds Standing Committee in
June 2002 and will be realized with the received fund in year 2003.

4. THERMAL FACILITIES HEATING AND BALNEOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS

IN TURKEY

The demand for balneological utilization of geothermal waters has been increased in the
recent years in Turkey.

A possible producable potential amount of geothermal flowrate (~ 40°) has been estimated for
the balneological use in Turkey, which is 50.000 l/s. This equals to the benefit of 8 million
people/day from thermal waters in spa’s in Turkey [4].

Turkey is one of the rare countries, where combining of sea/sun/cultural tourism with thermal
tourism and balneological applications is possible. The main advantage of this combination is
the increase of the variety and number of the tourists and the extension of the high tourism
season to the whole year, instead of limiting it with 4-5 months which is mostly the case by
the sea/sun/cultural tourism. This will bring an important economical development to these
regions. Some of the regions which are suitable for sea and thermal tourism combination are;
Bodrum, Kusadasi, Datca and Edremit cities which are located at the Aegean and
Mediterranean Sea’s. Some of the spa & thermal curing centre applications in Turkey are as
follows :

- Balcova Thermal Facilities are heated with 70 °C geothermal water

- Balcova Thermal Princess Hotel is heated with 125 °C geothermal water.
- Gediz spa & motel facilities are heated by 78°C geothermal water.
- Floor heating system was applied in Havza spa. Heated area is 1000 m2 and geothermal
water is 54°C.
- Rize Ayder thermal curing center is heated with a geothermal water of 54°C. Altitude of this
facility is 1700 m above sea level.
- Two mosques in Haymana are heated by 43°C geothermal water. In this system operation
cost is nearly zero. Since geothermal is producing in artesian mode, electricity cost does not
exist.Due to the characteristics of geothermal fluid, scale and corrosion inhibitor is not used.
Floor heating system is fed by geothermal water directly and plastic pipes were used. If all
these benefits are added up, with a small investment cost fully free of charge heating system
has been obtained.
- Sivas Sicak Cermik Spa is heated by 46°C geothermal water. Area of heated space is 2100
m2. In addition, geothermal water is used in sanitary hot tap water production and in
greenhouses.
- Afyon Gazligol Spa facilities uses 68°C geothermal water for heating and curing purposes.
- Orucoglu Thermal Resort uses 48 °C geothermal water for heating and curing purposes.
- Cankiri-Cavundur Thermal Facility uses 56 °C geothermal water for heating and
balneological purposes.
- Bolu-Karacasu Thermal Facilities uses 44 °C geothermal water for heating and
balneological purposes.

The number of the local thermal curists is around 7 million and the number of the foreign
thermal curists is around 10.000 in Turkey.

The turnover of Balçova Thermal Facilities is targeted as 5 million USD in 2002.

5. ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION

Because of it’s relatively low installation and operational cost as well as being more
environmental friendly, in comparison to the conventional thermic and hydraulic power plants
geothermal electricity production is advantageous. At present, nine of the geothermal fields of
Turkey are of high enthalpy and are appropriate for the geothermal-electric energy
conversion by Binary Cycle or by Flashing Cycle . These fields are [4]:

1. Denizli-Kizildere (242 °C)

2. Aydin-Germencik-Omerbeyli (232 °C)
-----------------
3. Canakkale-Tuzla (173 °C)
4. Aydin-Salavatli (171 °C) economy is doubtfull
5. Kutahya-Simav (162 °C) at limited conditions
6. Manisa-Salihli-Caferbeyli (155 °C)
7. Izmir-Seferihisar (153 °C)
-----------------

At present there is one operating geothermal power plant at Kizildere (Figure 3) and one
geothermal power plant at Germencik (on the Aydin-Germencik geothermal field) is going to
be constructed in a very near future.

Kizildere geothermal power plant was constructed by a consortium including GIE and ENEL
of Italy between 1981-1984 and put into operation on February 1984.The installed capacity
is 20.4 MWe and the generation capacity is 108 GWh. R-1 (2261 m) well drilled in 1997,
produces from the third reservoir with a temperature of 242 °C and is connected to the
system.
The plant operates on Single Flash with
Condensing Cycle. Geothermal steam and brine
mixture of about 12% quality with 150°C well
head temperature and 15 bar pressure is
separated to dry steam and brine at 147 °C and
3.5 bar. The dry steam is supplied to turbine
which drives an electric generator and a
compressor.

Figure 3: Kizildere Geothermal electricity

production plant

The maximum operational capacity of the Kizildere Geothermal Power plant could have been
increased by 10 % if the rejected hot brine from well head separators were flashed into dry
steam at 122 °C and expanded in an atmospheric exhaust (back-pressure) turbine coupled
with its own electric generator. Alternatively, by constructing a “Binary Cycle“ unit, the
rejected hot brine from the well head separators could have been utilized to increase the
power plant‘s maximum operational capacity by 15 % [5]. Kizildere geothermal power plant
is being operated by state-owned Electricity Company (TEAS) for the time being.

Germencik B.O.T. project; according to the programme the utilized field consists of 5
production wells and 3 reinjection wells. Total flow rate of geothermal fluid is 1434 t/h, at
210 °C with well head pressure of 15-18 bar.

The power plant will consists of 4 Ormat Energy Converter Units. The installed capacity of
the plant is 25 MWe at the beginning but it will be extended gradually to 100 MWe. The
Power Unit operation is based on the principle of the Organic Rankine Cycle, in which
geothermal steam and brine, serving as a heat source, flow through a shell-and-tube heat
exchanger and evaporates an organic fluid. Consequently, the organic fluid vapour drives the
High Pressure and Low Pressure turbines, which are coupled to the double shaft end generator
producing electrical power. The vapour is condensed in an air cooled condenser. The total
investment cost of this environmental friendly plant where the latest technology is used,
amounts to US$ 46.700.000 [5].

6. MINERAL RECOVERY

Besides electricity generation, the CO2 set free in

the condenser is partly supplied to a Liquefied CO2
and dry Ice Factory installed next to the plant and
about 120.000 t/year dry ice and liquefied CO2 for
the beverage industry is produced (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Liquid CO2 and Dry Ice

production plan in Kizildere

LP and HP compressors maintains the vacuum conditions in the condenser and then extracts
the CO2 gas separated from the wet steam in the condenser. The condenser is a “direct contact
jet type“ condenser which is cooled by the circulating geothermal water between condenser
and cooling tower.

7. CONCLUSIONS

Only 3 % of our total geothermal potential has been utilized yet.

By utilizing the estimated total geothermal heat potential (31500 MWt) in residences heating,
air-conditioning, greenhouse and thermal facilities heating, balneology, mineral recovery,
industrial utilization, 20 Billion US$ net domestic value could be targeted.

For the further development and extension of the geothermal applications in Turkey, 15 %
financial support of the Turkish Government would be appropriate.
31.500 MWt total geothermal heat potential is estimated in Turkey, which 500 MWe power
production and 3500 MWt space heating is aimed for the year 2010.

With the huge thermal tourism capacity potential of Turkey, the target is to increase the local
curist (tourists in thermalism) number to 30 million people until the year 2020. In this case,
additional domestic economical activity of total 12 Billion USD will be created.

The foreign thermal curist number is targeted as 1 million until the year 2020.
REFERENCES

[1] Oral Conversation With Dr. Ibrahim Akkus, MTA General Directorate, January 2003.
[2] The Importance of Geothermal Energy for Turkey and New Strategies for the Year 2003,
Preliminary Issue of Turkish Geothermal Association, 2003.
[3] Web page of Turkish Electricity Establishment www.teias.gov.tr, 2003.
[4] Simsek, S., Mertoglu, O., Kocak, A., Bakir, N., Akkus, I., Durak, S., Dilemre, A., Sahin,
H., Akilli, H., Suludere, Y., Karakaya, C., Tan, E., State Planning Organisation, 8th 5 Year
Development Plan, Geothermal Energy Report, 2001.
[5] Mertoglu, O., Simsek, S., Yesin, O., The Importance of the existing Geothermal
Applications and Geothermal Projections in Turkey, 18. World Energy Congress, Buenos
Aires, 2001.