Assessing the Availability of Spatial Geothermal Information Using Business Tools and Exploratory Data Analysis

Abstract

Geothermal energy is a renewable energy source that utilizes heat from the earth's core. Because of that, it is a reliable source of energy demonstrating great potential, which is still used to a small extent. Barriers to the wider use of geothermal energy include high investment costs, location constraints, and the quality of resources at various depths. Opposition from local communities is also a barrier. It results from low environmental awareness of geothermal opportunities, exacerbated by the lack of free access to good-quality geothermal spatial information. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess geothermal spatial information availability for selected geoportals using selected business tools and exploratory data analysis. The authors examined geoportals in terms of the information provided, the way it is presented, and the features available. They performed the assessment of their degree of similarity using competitive profile assessment, image graphs, cluster analysis, and affinity analysis. The research confirmed that the available spatial information is characterized by high variability, which indicates the lack of uniform rules for collecting, gathering, storing, and sharing geothermal data. The foregoing leads to information chaos, which can impede investors' investment decisions regarding implementing a geothermal installation on a property.