Country among global top 10 geothermal energy consumers

ISTANBUL

Türkiye is among the 10 largest consumers of geothermal energy in the world, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The other top consumers are China, the U.S., Sweden, Indonesia, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Germany and the Philippines.

In Türkiye, geothermal final energy use is divided between electricity and heating, used mostly in the agriculture and tourism/wellness sectors, while in Sweden and Germany, ground-source heat pumps dominate consumption, the report said.

In 2023, the United States, Indonesia, Türkiye, the Philippines and New Zealand together accounted for two-thirds of global geothermal electricity generation, with Iceland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico and Japan contributing another 25 percent, according to IEA.

Global geothermal power capacity increased almost 40 percent over the past decade to nearly 15 gigawatts (GW) in 2023.

During this period, Türkiye, Indonesia and Kenya accomplished the largest developments, accounting for more than three-quarters of new capacity additions, the IEA said.

The installed capacity of geothermal power plants (GPP) in operation in Türkiye reached 1,726 megawatts by the end of November, according to the Geothermal Power Plant Investors Association (JESDER) in Türkiye.

Geothermal energy could account for 15 percent of global electricity demand growth by 2050, provided project costs continue to decline, the IEA said.

The report estimates $1 trillion in geothermal investment by 2035 and $2.5 trillion by 2050.