Geo-T Expo in Essen, November 12-14, 2013 to feature Turkey

Messe Essen, Germany (source: flickr/ MeoplesMagazine, creative commons)

Alexander Richter 30 Oct 2013

The upcoming Geo-T Expo in Essen, Germany will feature Turkey as its partner country. The event is a first time international trade show focusing on the geothermal energy market.

Part of the Expo is the German Geothermal Congress (DGK) 2013, the main event of the German Geothermal Association (GtV).

Patrons of the event are Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, and Johannes Remmel, NRW State Minister for Climate Protection and the Environment.

“Turkey is the partner country of the GEO-T Expo 2013. Alongside Turkish companies, local authorities and associations will also be showing how rapid the expansion of geothermal energy is in Turkey. The country has been recording high economic growth and huge investments in renewable energies for years.

The geothermal energy potential is enormous. The technical potential alone is put at a figure of 31,500 megawatts for heat and 2,000 megawatts for power generation. That corresponds to roughly 20 million tonnes of oil per year. 20 companies have already been granted a licence to recover energy and supply a total capacity of 465.6 megawatts of electricity.

The west of the country has numerous springs which are used to generate electricity. On completion of all planned investments, the geothermal energy sector will contribute a total added value of USD 16 billion per year to Turkey’s economy.

In agriculture, geothermal heat is used, among other things, to heat greenhouses. The area used increased 5-fold to 2,500 ha in the last 10 years. The milestone of 10,000 ha will probably be reached by 2018.

The tourism industry is a growth sector. According to the Turkish news agency Cihan, only 100 of the roughly 1,400 thermal springs have been developed for tourists. 29 health centres and 71 wellness spas have a capacity of 16,000 beds.

Turkey has developed into one of the fastest growing energy markets and is rapidly developing a competition structure. According to estimates of the Turkish Electricity Transmission Company, the energy requirement of Turkey will increase by 6% every year up to 2023. In conjunction with market liberalisation and the potential role of Turkey as an energy hub in its region, the country offers an exciting potential for international companies and investors. Turkey’s joint stand at the GEO-T Expo will be presenting an interesting showcase on this subject.”

Details about the event on the Expo website and the Conference Website