Renewable energy plays an important role in meeting the ever increasing energy demand of the modern world. At this point, underground thermal energy storage has been suggested as a clean and efficient alternative of energy extraction for the sustainable future as one of the renewable energy varieties. Thermal energy storage systems in the aquifers have  preluded the energy market with great success in many countries. Hot and cold natural energy sources are stored in the aquifer by using underground water to store the heat in this system. Efficiency of the system depends on several factors including groundwater temperatures and flow characteristics. Among the different underground thermal energy storage  options, one of the most promising and commercial option is known as aquifer thermal energy storage (ATES). Based on the recent developments reported in the literature, general design procedures and construction techniques as well as relationships related with the efficiency of ATES systems are reviewed within the scope of this paper. The applications  from the world and Turkey were discussed in a comparative approach.