The Geothermal Research Cluster (GEORG) is a non-profit organization which aims at promoting research and development of geothermal resources in a sustainable way and contribute to reducing the world’s dependence on carbon-based energy sources. GEORG brings together various actors in the geothermal field to contribute to the acceleration of the uptake of geothermal energy internationally and increase its value creation in research, engineering, and design for the benefit of society.
GEORG aims to:
- Reduce worldwide GHG emission worldwide by contributing to a significant increase in sustainable energy production/utilization from geothermal sources.
- Make Iceland a case study for near-total energy independent and carbon-neutral society.
- Create a platform for entrepreneurship and export of geothermal energy resources and education, both for partners in the group and in the ensuing creative environment established through its national and international operations.
- Contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SGD7, SDG9 and SDG13 – respectively related to affordable and clean energy, industry, innovation and infrastructure, and climate action).
GEORG was founded in 2009 with a grant from the Science and Technology Policy Council of Iceland (Rannis), “Clusters and Centers of Excellence”. Since 2016, GEORG has operated as an independent non-profit association. From the very beginning, there was a strong emphasis to serve GEORG partners well and to create a sustainable cooperation platform, beyond the project duration. This has now been achieved, and GEORG has become a key player in bridging a critical gap between different geothermal communities and has evolved to become a strong research-driven international geothermal non-profit organization.
In 2018, GEORG started to work actively on its digital marketing strategy and new positioning in the sector. Being already an entry point for those who have an interest in the geothermal sector in Iceland and abroad, and having already established a Knowledge Hub around its structure, GEORG set up its strategic purpose around continuing to create shared value in the geothermal sector and actively contribute to sustainability around the world.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
International leader in geothermal energy research
The main objectives are summarized as follows:
* Reduce worldwide GHG emission worldwide by contributing to significant increase in sustainable energy production/utilization from geothermal sources
* Make Iceland a case study for near energy independent and carbon neutral society
* Create a platform for entrepreneurship and export of geothermal energy resources and education, both for partners in the group and in the ensuing creative environment established through its national and international operations
GEORG plans to attain these ambitious objectives by increasing substantially research, education and distribution of knowledge in the field of geothermal energy resources, their sustainable utilisation, and in addition create a innovative way for education organizations, research institutions, companies and other stakeholders to work together.
GEORG research priorities
Research on the nature of geothermal systems is a geological subject, which requires fundamental knowledge of the nature of the host rock, reservoir fluid properties, chemical processes at different temperatures and pressures, and geological makeup of the geothermal areas and the upper crust when focusing on deep drilling options. In the context of obtaining better understanding of the
geothermal resources, the development of in-silico mathematical simulation models will play a key role in assessing possibilities and effects of utilization of the geothermal resources based on input data from measurements of a large number of variables. This should include factors / variables relating to e.g. sustainability, economics, socio-economics, energy harvesting, technologies, and limitations that may apply. Another research area would cover improvement of methods for measurements and in laboratory research on interactions of different environmental variables and theoretical situations.
GOVERNANCE
GENERAL ASSEMBLIES
PARTNERS
GEORG consists of 23 members, comprising educational & research organizations, energy companies, engineering & consultancy companies and startups in Iceland as well as their key international partners in the geothermal science and utilization. Furthermore, GEORG also has an extended network of partners through its projects in the academic, industrial, and public sector.
