The GeoAlliance project and the business opportunities in energy transition

On 27 and 28 February 2025, took place a series of thematic workshops, training sessions and scientific presentations on topics in the field of energy transition, concepts and strategies based on geophysical technologies for smart cities, organized by the University of Bucharest and the Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of UB. The working sessions and presentations were grouped under the following topics: 1. Green Energy Frontiers (27 February 2025), and 2. Geophysical and Geological Data for Smart City Solutions: Building Safer, More Resilient Communities & Infrastructure (28 February 2025).

The events 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 discussions and activities were addressed to experts in the field, representatives of the business environment, public authorities and the general public with interests in the mentioned fields.

One of the main objectives of the activities carried out within the GeoAlliance project aimed precisely at strengthening relations between the academic area and the business environment. In fact, in the opening of the event, in addition to representatives of the project partners, representatives of public authorities with responsibilities in regulating the field also 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.

In the same time, the activities benefited from the participation of representatives of local authorities, as well as several specialists from companies with interests in the energy production area. Among them: OMV Petrom, Jetrun SRL, Naphoterm and Tic Marcon Group SRL, Prospecțiuni, Modulor, Aqua-Therm, Foratherm, PSS-GEO, Transgex, as well as representatives of Râmnicu Vâlcea City Hall and Oradea City Hall, which are currently carrying out an extensive process of exploitation of geothermal resources with the aim of transitioning to green energy. Representatives of several development centers and clusters also took part in the events.

For the representatives of OMV Petrom, given the diversity and „exceptional quality of the presentations, the event was a success. Participants from OMV Petrom, particularly from the LCB department and Exploration team, were highly impressed by the depth of knowledge shared and the engaging nature of the discussions. The event provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas and exploring innovative solutions in the field of geothermal energy. The stimulating conversations and insights gained were greatly appreciated, and there is a strong anticipation for future events of this calibre”.

In the same time, Csaba Grieb from Naphoterm explains that, “the use of geothermal resources with maximum energy efficiency is imperative in areas that have this huge potential, together with efficient and ecological use of gases resulting from the exploitation of geothermal waters and the adaptation of consumers’ heating systems to these renewable energies. In this context, “this meeting created the opportunity to develop relations between the public authorities, specialists and organizations in the field of geothermal energy and geophysics, in order to inform and prepare them for the next level of energy transition in Romania and the development of smart localities”. According to him, the topic addressed during the presentations and discussions was comprehensive and brought numerous new information about resources, opportunities and advanced technologies”. Regarding the GeoAlliance project, he highlighted the excellent opportunity that this type of project brings for “discovering, studying, exploring and exploiting new areas that have the potential to use this sustainable resource with high energy efficiency”.

Tic Marcon Group representatives mentioned that, “participating in this event on the green transition has been an invaluable opportunity for Tic Marcon Group. It has allowed us to connect with industry leaders, exchange innovative ideas, and explore new collaborations that align with our expertise in geochemical and biological analyses. The discussions and partnerships fostered here will not only enhance our service offerings but also support clients in achieving their sustainability goals with cutting-edge solutions. We look forward to contributing to a greener future through science and innovation”.

And Adrian Moisa, from Jetrun SRL, showed that, “the topics covered were various and well documented, providing the opportunity to understand the placement of the field of interest, biogas and waste-to-energy in the broader context of technologies dedicated to the use of renewable energy sources. I thank the organizers for the opportunity to participate in this conference because the context proved to be a suitable one to meet possible new partners in the development of my business of using biogas as an energy source.”

According to the Modulor representatives, “attending the GeoAlliance project events has been a significant step in Modulor’s business development. These gatherings have provided us with valuable insights into integrating sustainable solutions into our architectural and construction designs. By leveraging underground resources for innovative heating and cooling systems, we can now offer our clients more efficient and eco-friendly building solutions. The connections and knowledge gained through this initiative empower us to push the boundaries of sustainable design, ensuring that our projects align with the future of green construction”.

Andrea Kiss, engineer geologist and ANRMPSG specialist in the field of geothermal waters at Oradea City Hall, found the event extremely relevant given “the diversity of participating experts: hydrogeologists, geologists, geophysicists, drillers, researchers, representatives of ministries in the field, universities, institutions, city halls, companies specialized in the exploitation of geothermal resources in the country and abroad”. She also emphasizes that, “the sustainable exploitation of geothermal resources requires correct decisions, based on the collaboration of specialists from various fields related to geothermal and local monitoring of geothermal deposits in order to minimize risks related to the depletion of the deposit, in the case of irrational exploitation, especially if the same deposit is managed by several entities”. Therefore, she underlines that, such meetings “are essential for sharing experience and innovative ideas in the field in order to develop this sustainable green energy, with a major impact for the 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 are available here (for 27 February 2025) and here (for 28 February 2025). Also check the book of abstracts of the presentations …..

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).