Turkey began exploring geothermal energy in the 1970s and opened its first pilot plant. In the 1980s, the pilot plant grew into Turkey's first geothermal power plant. By 2013, Turkey's small initial plant had expanded to become the country's largest geothermal plant. Turkey has significant geothermal potential of 60GW due to its geology, though its existing plants are located over reservoirs with high carbon content that require care to limit emissions.