Zorlu to expand Alaşehir geothermal power plant with 3.6 MW solar unit

Zorlu Energy will turn its 45 MW geothermal power plant in Alaşehir into one of the first hybrid systems in Turkey by integrating it with a solar power plant that it plans to install at the site.

Zorlu Enerji Elektrik or Zorlu Energy, which is planning to launch an initial public offering for its renewables business, said it would establish a hybrid power plant by adding a solar park of 3.6 MW to its geothermal facility in Manisa in Turkey’s west.

The integration will result in greater efficiency for the new unit and the 45 MW Alaşehir system, according to the company. It would be one of the first hybrid power plants in the country.

Photovoltaic unit to produce 6 GWh per year

Zorlu revealed it would install 31,200 thin film solar panels of 115 W each. The photovoltaic unit will be designed for annual output of 6 GWh. The statement adds it would contribute EUR 530,000 to the domestic economy per year and prevent 300 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from gas power plants.

The Alaşehir geothermal power plant produces 300 GWh of electricity per year. It is itself a hybrid system: a dual flash steam turbine of 33.7 MW came online in 2015, followed by an 11.3 MW binary unit the following year.

Renewables subsidiary preparing for stock market debut

Zorlu Jeotermal Enerji, the firm’s geothermal branch, was merged with two other subsidiaries last year to form Zorlu Yenilenebilir Enerji or Zorlu Renewable Energy. The ambition is to list it at the stock market.

Zorlu Enerji produces and trades in electricity and gas, develops and builds and maintains solar and other power plants. It also installs chargers for electric cars under its ZES brand. The company said it operates seven hydropower units, one wind power plant, four geothermal power plants and one unit that uses natural gas in Turkey. It also has a wind park in Pakistan and three gas-fueled power plants in Israel.