Jeotermal Enerjinin Çevresel Etkileri ve Sosyal Kabul: Efeler İlçesi Örneği

Opportunities and challenges of geothermal energy in Turkiye

Geothermal energy is a unique energy source in the energy policy mix that would help the clean energy transition and energy independence, supporting the energy needs in heating and electricity. Although there have been studies on the opportunities and challenges of renewable energy, this paper is the first paper that concentrates on geothermal energy for three distinct countries, Italy, Belgium, and Iceland, for the first time. Using semi-structured interviews that will cover the stakeholders representing the quadruple helix (academia, citizens, policymakers, and industry), this paper aims to find the unique and common opportunities and barriers the geothermal sector has. Shared challenges include financial barriers, regulatory complexities, environmental issues, and the need for improvement in the social acceptability of geothermal energy. Despite these challenges, geothermal energy, a promising energy source for clean transition, could create opportunities like improved household welfare through combined uses in district heating and electricity and have the potential to generate employment opportunities.

In this study, the behavior of using renewable energy sources (RES) has been investigated in the concept of planned behavior theory (PBT), taking into account the knowledge level and external concerns of environmental issues and RES. The willingness to overpay for energy demand by RES was also investigated. To this aim, a questionnaire was created and applied to 337 public officers from different sectors in Turkey. The questionnaire results were then analyzed by Structural Equality Modeling (SEM). In conclusion, it has been determined that the knowledge level on environmental issues has significant effects on environmental issues, which forced people to learn about RES. So, the intention of using RES is affected positively. Another important result obtained in the study is that the knowledge about RES affects the willingness to overpay. In addition, subjective norms have an impact on the attitude towards the use of RES.

This study aims to analyze the multi-dimensional structural obstacles in Türkiye’s energy transition process and offer solutions for a sustainable, fair, and holistic transition. The study simultaneously evaluated energy policies’ economic, environmental, and social impacts; quantitative data, qualitative interviews, spatial analysis, and scenario modeling techniques were used together. Türkiye’s 2023 energy panorama was examined and compared to the European Union averages. Structural differences in fundamental indicators such as energy intensity, supply security, pricing, and renewable resource use were revealed. According to EPDK, TÜİK, and TEİAŞ, Türkiye’s renewable energy share (42%) fell behind the EU average (63%), energy intensity was high (6.8 MJ per US dollar of GDP), and dependence on fossil fuels (coal 30%, natural gas 25%) threatened energy security. The findings show that the main obstacles to energy transition are insufficient financing, lack of political will, technological incompatibilities, and institutional coordination problems. In this context, the study proposes short-term to long-term transition policies. A multi-layered solution framework was presented, from energy cooperatives to carbon pricing, from net-zero laws to regional development plans. These policies can increase the renewable energy rate to 65% by 2035 and reduce carbon emissions by 50%. The study is one of the first systematic analyses to address energy transition in Türkiye with a holistic approach and is a strategic reference for policymakers.