The importance of geothermal energy for the economy of Ağrı: Diyadin district SWOT analysis

Our foreign dependence on energy resources such as oil and natural gas is one of the leading negative burdens on the country's economy. Reducing this burden only depends on the production of energy by using more domestic resources. In recent years, the diversification approach of energy production resources has increased the interest and investments in our own geothermal resources. In addition to electricity production using geothermal resources, applications such as heating, health and thermal tourism, agricultural uses are becoming widespread and making a significant contribution to the economy. Geothermal energy sources, which are among the developing and today's energy technologies, are widely used in many areas such as electrical energy production, heating systems and agricultural applications. The fact that geothermal resources are among the renewable energy technologies, that they are environmentally friendly and used economically ensures that they are used effectively in agriculture and greenhouse activities, especially in difficult conditions in the Eastern Anatolian regions. In the study, SWOT analysis of geothermal from renewable resources in Turkey was made with the sample of Diyadin District of Ağrı province, strengths and weaknesses of geothermal in terms of energy sector were revealed, possible opportunities and threats were analyzed, gains were examined and possible losses were discussed. For the analysis, a wide literature study was conducted, the opinions of non-governmental organizations, producers, public and private sector representatives were examined and TURKSTAT, T.C. Data from Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, MTA, TMMBO, MENR, MAPEG, MEB, TUIK were used. The aim of the study is to reveal the importance of geothermal for Turkey in general and Diyadin District of Ağrı Province in particular, to point out the risks and benefits it carries for Diyadin District of Ağrı Province, and to contribute to the necessary studies by drawing the attention of all stakeholders.