ThinkGeoEnergy – Geothermal Energy News

Local geothermal operators reluctant to sell heat to greenhouses in Germencik, Turkey

Local greenhouse operator in Germencik, Turkey urges local geothermal power plant operators to sell him hot water for his greenhouse operations.

With geothermal operations close by, Investor Yunus Arifoglu Ozturk from Azerbaijan is disappointed that he cannot tap into geothermal energy to heat his greenhouse operations. The investor is operating 4.2 hectares of greenhouses in Germencik, Aydin in Turkey.

For his operations, he had to use expensive coal for heating as hot water from nearby geothermal operations are not being sold to him. Not being able to tap into lower-cost heating through geothermal leaves him frustrated.

Grower Yunus Ozturk: “I set up this tomato greenhouse 3 years ago considering the benefits of having so many geothermal energy plants nearby, but these companies are not willing to sell me geothermal water. I have even applied to the presidential office in Turkey, hoping for a solution.

I have been exporting almost all the tomatoes I have grown here to Russia, so I’m contributing to Turkey’s exports, but geothermal energy plants are not providing me any hot water, even though legally hot water from these plants have to be used in greenhouses. We had made all our cost calculations accordingly. Using coal for heating brings around $200,000 of extra costs annually, not to mention the damage it does to the environment.

If I was given access to geothermal waters, my productivity would double and I’d be able to grow 2,500 tons annually, which would be mostly exported. I expect government officials to help me in solving this problem.”

Source: Hurriyet

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