Challenges encountered in the use of geothermal heating in greenhouses in the Afyonkarahisar region

In this study, the problems encountered in heating greenhouses with geothermal resources in the province of Afyonkarahisar were examined, and the current conditions and structural characteristics of these greenhouses were revealed. The primary material for the research consisted of face-to-face surveys conducted with 43 greenhouse producers, determined through a complete enumeration method. For the analysis of the data, non-parametric methods such as the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were used. The data obtained through enumeration were analyzed using the Chi-square test. According to the findings, the most common problems encountered in greenhouse cultivation were heating, irrigation, and ventilation. These problems vary depending on gender, education level, year of establishment, and size of the enterprise. In geothermal heating, the most frequently encountered problems were increased maintenance costs, fluctuations in the temperature and chemical composition of geothermal water adversely affecting production, and the chemical properties of geothermal water causing damage to the equipment used in greenhouses. These geothermal heating problems vary depending on the age, experience, year of establishment, and size of the enterprise. The most important advantages of geothermal energy are that it is a renewable and sustainable energy source, environmentally friendly, and provides low carbon emissions. The main disadvantages are high initial investment costs and regional limitations of geothermal resources (more concentrated in certain geographical regions). Perceptions of these advantages vary by gender, age, experience, and year of establishment, while the disadvantages vary by experience and year of establishment.