Determination of GIS based potential geothermal fields using multi-criteria decision analysis in Sandıklı district of Afyonkarahisar

Energy is one of the most important elements in maintaing daily life and supplying the basic needs of individuals. Energy is enunciative of the forms of energy that are required for daily needs, such as electricity, heat, and motion. Energy is requirement in many fields such as lighting our houses, powering electrical devices, providing heating and cooling, and stirring transportation vehicles. Fossil fuels are among the basic source of the modern world that uses to provide the necessary energy for its functioning and to turning the wheels. On the other hand, today many steps are being taken to change this situation. Because we are faced with the risk of depletion of fossil resources and the polluting effects that happen during the energy production process harm the environment. For these reasons, the investigations for alternative energy sources are increasing. Geothermal energy, which is one of the renewable energies, is a constant energy from nature and it is a type of energy that has a minimal impact on the environment. The energy, that isobtained from high temperature sources, can be used in different areas such as electricity generation, heating and cooling. Geothermal energy has a great potential among Turkey's sustainable energy sources. Especially the western regions of our country are the regions where this sources are intensified. There are geothermal energy control in provinces such as Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, Aydın, Manisa, Muğla and Uşak. Geothermal energy is actively used in Sandıklı which is a district of Afyonkarahisar-Sandıklı is the place which is the subject of this thesis. In this thesis, geothermal fields are tried to be stated in Sandıklı the district of Afyonkarahisar. First of all, criterias that are based on literature research and experts opinions are determined. After the criterion of data drainage density, temperature of the ground surface, geological availability and the datas of fault measure are supplied,stages that has criterions are created in the stage of Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Within the scope of MCDA, the criterias are evaluated and their weights are calculated by using the Entropy Method. A potential geothermal map is created by synthesizing the layers formed with the weights that are calculated with Entropy Method. Classifications have been made on the potential geothermal map. And the Sandıklı which has a very high sensitivity, is proposed as new geothermal fields in the areas of Kusura, Çakır, Koçhisar, Başkuyucak and Ekinhisar.