3rd TAGRA

The Guba–Khachmaz region is one of Azerbaijan’s most promising areas for the development of low- to medium-temperature geothermal resources. This study evaluates the hydrogeological characteristics, theoretical thermal capacity, and potential utilization pathways of the region’s thermal waters. Official hydrogeological data and published scientific sources were analyzed, while thermal-power scenarios were calculated using water discharge, specific heat capacity, and temperature reduction. Exploration wells drilled to depths of up to 3,000 m in the Khudat–Khachmaz area have encountered high-discharge thermal waters with temperatures generally ranging from 50 to 81°C. The officially approved operational reserve of the Khudat–Khachmaz thermal-water field is 25,700 m³/day. Based on this reserve, the estimated theoretical thermal capacity is approximately 24.9 MWt for a temperature reduction of 20°C, 37.3 MWt for 30°C, and 49.7 MWt for 40°C. These values represent theoretical heat potential rather than electricity-generation capacity. The results demonstrate that the region’s geothermal resources are more suitable for direct heat applications than for conventional electricity production. The most promising uses include greenhouse heating, space and district heating, agricultural drying, aquaculture, balneology, thermal tourism, and systems integrated with geothermal heat pumps. A cascade-use model could increase efficiency by applying the same thermal water successively for several purposes at decreasing temperature levels. Sustainable development requires continuous monitoring of temperature, discharge, pressure, and hydrochemical parameters, together with reinjection where technically feasible. The findings provide a scientific basis for selecting pilot geothermal projects and expanding renewable heat utilization in northern Azerbaijan.