The event Green Energy Frontiers, part of the GeoAlliance project, organized at the University of Bucharest

On Thursday, 27 February 2025, took place the event GeoAlliance – Green Energy Frontiers Meeting, organized by the University of Bucharest and the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of UB. It included a thematic workshop, a training session and the proceedings of a symposium on topics in the field of energy transition and the utility of geophysical data for the identification and exploitation of geothermal resources.

The event took place at the University House of Bucharest and was organized as part of the activities of the GeoAlliance project financed with the support of Grants awarded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the financial mechanism EEA Grants Romania 2014-2021, within the SME Development Program in Romania, grant number: 2024/395080. The event was addressed to experts in the field, public authorities and the general public with interests in the mentioned fields.

At the opening of the event, representatives from the project partners took the floor, Dr. Adrian Bazavan, Advisor to the Minister of Energy, and Dr. Eng. Răzvan Greculeasa, representative of the Mineral Resources Directorate-Ministry of Economy, Digitalization, Entrepreneurship and Tourism.

As mentioned by Dr. Adrian Bazavan, Advisor to the Minister of Energy, “the GeoAlliance project demonstrates how knowledge sharing, clear vision and collaboration can accelerate Romania’s energy transition. Geothermal energy, a clean and safe resource, can make an essential contribution to our energy security and to reducing energy poverty”. At the same time, he pointed out, “The Ministry of Energy supports initiatives that capitalize on this potential and is an active partner in the sustainable development of geothermal resources. I congratulate the project initiators for this crucial project for the national energy sector”.

Regarding the GeoAlliance project, Florina Țuluca showed that this “is a project aligned with European strategies for energy transition, and I would like to emphasize the importance of the collaboration between academia and SMEs, as well as the need to build the capacity to develop sustainable and viable services in the long term. The transition to a green economy must not only aim at a cleaner and more sustainable environment, but also at accessible and efficient solutions for all users. One of the key pillars of this transition is the development of national expertise and infrastructure for the exploitation of geothermal resources—a solution with immense potential for providing green, low-cost energy. Moreover, a smart strategy in the geothermal field can facilitate multi-sectoral applications, combining energy production with areas such as agriculture, district heating and industrial processes. The integration of these sectors can increase efficiency, reduce operational costs and contribute to achieving sustainability goals.” Hence, she points out, “an essential role in supporting these initiatives is played by funding mechanisms through EEA and Norwegian grants, Innovation Norway, which allow the development of innovative projects and strategic partnerships. Using this type of financial support, collaboration between research and industry—such as the GeoAlliance project—becomes a driver for innovation, technology transfer and increased local capacity to implement viable and scalable energy solutions. With appropriate policies, strategic investments and specialized expertise, geothermal energy can become a central element of an energy system that, at least at the local level, is sustainable, accessible and future-oriented.”

Alexandru Schlett, as a representative of the project partner – Pre Stack Solutions – Geo AS, Norway, stated: “At PSS-GEO, we are dedicated to advancing geophysical techniques to support sustainable energy solutions. We were honoured to participate in the Geophysical Alliance for Green Transition and SMART City Development and extend our gratitude to our sponsors, Innovation Norway and the EEA Grants from Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, for enabling this collaborative initiative between the University of Bucharest and PSS-GEO.”

Regarding PSS-GEO’s contribution to the event, he stated that it “focused on studies that demonstrate how high-resolution subsurface modelling and the integration of legacy data enhance exploration efficiency and mitigate geological risks.”

The technical program debuted with a workshop, focusing on geothermal data at the country level, which was co-organized with the Institute of Geodynamics of the Romanian Academy.

During this workshop, the University of Bucharest team presented the results of the project, focused on the evaluation of archiveal geothermal data and the creation of thematic maps. These results were subject to public debate, with the aim of identifying opportunities for improvement and setting up working groups for a more in-depth approach to the subject in the near future. Moreover, as Florina Tuluca stated, “Incorporating existing data at national level in the form of thematic maps, digitizing and open access to such information that would clearly and concisely present Romania’s geothermal potential, would significantly contribute to attracting investments in this sector, providing a solid basis for strategic decisions. Easy access to such maps would increase investor confidence, facilitating the allocation of resources and stimulating the development of new projects that would capitalize on geothermal energy. Better visibility of the resources and investment opportunities in this sector could accelerate the transition to sustainable and efficient energy sources.”

The subject of geothermal data at the country level was addressed also by Acad. Crișan Demetrescu, director of the “Sabba S. Ștefănescu” Institute of Geodynamics and leader of a working group that made many contributions to the existing national heat flow database, followed by Thosteinn Masson, director of Blami Consulting, Iceland, a country that has an system open to the general public for accessing information on geothermal resources and an advanced geothermal system that supports 90% of central heating, which contributes 30% of electricity production.

Acad. Crișan Demetrescu, director of the “Sabba S. Ștefănescu” Institute of Geodynamics of the Romanian Academy, stated: “We greatly appreciate the initiative of the GeoAlliance project director, Florina Țuluca, to organize together with our institute, which this year will celebrate 35 years of uninterrupted activity in the field of geodynamics, a workshop on geothermal data issues at the national level. Geothermal has been an important research direction, carrying out both heat flow determinations using temperature measurements in boreholes and thermal conductivity of rocks in the laboratory, as well as geothermal modeling of the lithosphere on the territory of Romania. Studies of this kind have led to the development of the heat flow map of Romania, which constitutes the starting point in assessing the geothermal potential of the territory, thus supporting the transition to green energy.”

And Thosteinn Masson, Director of Blami Consulting, Iceland, said “it was an honor to participate in the GeoAlliance events. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with experts from Romania in the field of geothermal energy. With a shared geothermal potential, Romania and Iceland have much to gain from strengthening our cooperation in this area.”

At the same time, Dr. Venera Dobrică, CSI, head of the “Natural Fields” laboratory at the “Sabba S. Ștefănescu” Institute of Geodynamics of the Romanian Academy, showed that, “thanks to the series of events organized within the GeoAlliance project, we are discovering the role of geophysics for society, in particular geophysics for energy transition. Thus, research on the Earth’s thermal regime, quantified by the so-called thermal flux, the amount of heat released from the interior, per unit of surface area per unit of time, as a result of tectonic processes, heat generation in the crust and heat from the deep interior, constantly investigated by the research group I coordinate, finds its applicability and opens up new opportunities for collaboration that support the use of geothermal energy as green energy. Also, thanks to the project coordinator for the dedication and professionalism he demonstrates.”

“The workshop, symposium and training session in geothermal and green energy provided an excellent platform for sharing the recent advancements and trending topics. Experts from academic, authorities and industry backgrounds came together to engage in meaningful presentations and discussions on the scalability of geothermal energy production and its role in sustainable energy solutions”, stated Sonia López Kovács, SPE Geothermal Technical Section for Europe and member of CCS EAGE Technical Commitee.

Marian Bordeianu, geological engineer at TRANSGEX SA Oradea, also emphasizes that “the GeoAlliance sessions brought together geothermal specialists and representatives of the authorities to bring to the forefront the essential but insufficiently exploited energy sector. Romania has considerable geothermal potential, used in the past in industry, animal husbandry and agriculture, but, in recent decades, almost exclusively restricted to the spa sector. Examples such as Beiuș, where 80% of the locality’s heating needs are provided by geothermal waters, demonstrate the viability and efficiency of this resource. In the context of the European energy transition, Romania has the opportunity to bring geothermal energy back to the forefront, strengthening energy security in the long term and reducing costs for consumers.”

The event also included a training session in which specialists from Romania, Norway and Spain gave presentations on geothermal energy, how it can be harnessed, and the steps needed to locate areas where geothermal resources can be economically exploited. Some of the presentations from this session will be included in the project’s public materials.

“As part of the GeoAlliance initiative, we have developed comprehensive training materials to disseminate best practices and state-of-the-art methodologies in geothermal exploration”, stated Alexandru Schlett, representative of the project partner PSS-GEO.

Moreover, he pointed out that, „the event convened geothermal scientists, industry professionals, and government representatives, facilitating a valuable dialogue on experience exchange and collaborative strategies for advancing geothermal energy deployment. By unlocking the full potential of geothermal resources through scientific collaboration and technological innovation, we strive to drive a resilient and low-carbon energy future”.

The “Driving Sustainable Urban Futures: A Romanian-Norwegian Innovation Geophysical Alliance for Green Transition and SMART City Development” (GeoAlliance) project is a bilateral Romanian-Norwegian initiative which focuses on research activities and information dissemination on topics such as:

• Geophysics for energy transition, emphasizing advanced geophysical data processing and the use of synthetic modelling to reduce risks in geothermal drilling and ensure a comprehensive evaluation of geothermal potential;
• Concepts and strategies for using geophysical data in SMART city development, with an emphasis on leveraging local resources to achieve a diversified energy mix with a reduced climate footprint and improving urban management in response to natural or anthropogenic hazards, identifiable through geophysical measurement and monitoring systems.

We would like to point out that the GeoAlliance project event was included in the international agenda of events promoted by the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers.

The full schedule of events for February 27th is available here.

The project “Driving Sustainable Urban Futures: A Romanian-Norwegian Innovation Geophysical Alliance for Green Transition and SMART City Development” is co-financed by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants Romania 2014-2021, in the frame of the SME Growth Programme Romania. Grant number: 2024/395080. The project is a collaborative initiative between the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Geology and Geophysics and Pre Stack Solutions – Geo AS (PSS-GEO AS) (www.pss-geo.com).