Europe’s energy transition has renewed global interest in geothermal energy — not only for its renewable credentials, but for its ability to deliver stable, flexible heat and power that weather-dependent technologies cannot. Iceland generates virtually all of its electricity and heating from renewable sources. It has built decades of applied geothermal knowledge that the world increasingly seeks to access. The question, for many international partners, has long been: where to begin?
That question now has a clearer answer.
Consolidating Iceland’s energy ecosystem
GEORG (Geothermal Research Cluster) and Orkuklasinn (Iceland Energy Cluster) — Iceland’s two principal energy cluster organisations — are merging into a single unified platform. The two organisations have operated successfully in parallel for years: GEORG connecting Iceland’s research community to international programmes and knowledge-transfer initiatives; Orkuklasinn convening the energy industry across utilities, technology developers, service providers, and capital. Together, they represent the full breadth of Iceland’s energy ecosystem.
The merger does not simply combine two organisations. It removes the structural barriers that have prevented a single, coherent engagement with international partners, EU institutions, and funding programmes. More than 100 member organisations — researchers, engineers, utilities, investors, and public bodies — now sit within one platform, accessible through one relationship.
What this makes possible
For international partners, the practical implication is a reduction in complexity. Geological expertise, technical validation, research collaboration, co-investment, and government engagement — previously navigated through separate entry points — now form a single, integrated offering.
For EU-funded research and innovation, a unified Icelandic cluster with over 100 members and an established track record across Horizon Europe and Nordic Council programmes presents a more effective partner institution. The consolidation strengthens the capacity to lead calls — not just participate in them.
The three-year targets that frame this merger — doubling active collaborative projects and growing the funded research base to ISK 200 million and beyond — reflect not ambition alone, but architecture. A unified platform can pursue at scale what two separate organisations could only approach incrementally.
A public debut in Offenburg
Iceland has been designated Partner Country at Geotherm 2026 in Offenburg, Germany — the leading international geothermal trade exhibition and congress. The timing is not coincidental. The unified cluster’s first international appearance coincides with a moment of sustained global interest in geothermal energy, as governments and investors across Europe look for proven, scalable models to accelerate deployment.
The Iceland Pavilion in Offenburg is where this platform opens its doors to the world. The full team is available for bilateral meetings throughout the congress.
Come and Meet Us in Offenburg
GeoTHERM 2026 takes place on 26–27 February at Messe Offenburg, Germany.
Opening hours:
- Thursday 26 February: 10:00–17:30
- Friday 27 February: 09:00–15:30
Iceland’s pavilion is at Booth 301, Baden Arena.
Icelandic members of both cluster, January 2026
