Analysis, Mitigation and Risk Management of Slope Movements Driven by Climate Change in Macaronesia
Data
Acronym: GEOTERMAC
Reference: 1/MAC/2/2.2/0078
Partners: Instituto Volcanológico de Canarias INVOLCAN (Canary Islands, Spain); Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables S.A. ITER (Canary Islands, Spain); Instituto de Inovação Tecnológica dos Açores INOVA (Azores, Portugal); Cabildo de Gran Canaria Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Clima, Energía y Conocimiento, Ente Público Empresarial Consejo Insular de la Energía de Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain); Sociedad de Promoción Y Desarrollo Económico de la Isla de La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain); Consejería de Transición Ecológica y Energía, Viceconsejeria de Transición Ecológica, Lucha contra el Cambio climático y Energía, Gobierno de Canarias (Canary Islands, Spain); EEM-Empresa de Electricidade da Madeira, S.A. (Madeira, Portugal).
Third-party partners African countries: Directorate-General for Natural Resources and Energy Directorate-General for Natural Resources and Energy (São Tomé and Príncipe); University of Cape Verde (Cape Verde).
Associated Participants: Istituto per il Rilevamento Elettromagnetico dell’Ambiente (Italy)..
Duration: 2025 – 2028 (48 months)
Budget: 2.400.683,25 €
Co-Financing: INTERREG VI D MADEIRA-AZORES-CANARY ISLANDS MAC 2021-2027 Territorial Cooperation Programme. 1st Call. Priority 2 MAC GREEN-ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION.
Project overview
One of the challenges facing the European Union is to help promote the transition to a secure, sustainable and competitive energy system that reduces dependence on fossil fuels through significant advances in knowledge about renewable resources. Geothermal energy is one of the least known but most efficient sources of renewable energy. The aim of the GEOTERMAC project is to develop cooperation methodologies and tools to strengthen R&D&I capacities in order to contribute to the energy transition in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe through the development of geothermal energy. Territorial cooperation is a key factor in achieving the project’s objectives, given that these are territories with common characteristics and problems, and where geothermal energy is an existing energy resource that needs to be researched more thoroughly in order to assess its use as a renewable energy source. This project is expected to mark a turning point in the advancement and efficiency of the current energy system in these regions, thanks to the development of various actions and the application of new and innovative geochemical and geophysical methodologies to significantly deepen knowledge about the potential geothermal resources existing in the subsoil. The final beneficiaries of this project will be the societies of Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Overall objective of the project: To develop cooperation methodologies and tools to strengthen R&D&I capabilities with the aim of contributing to the energy transition in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe through the development of geothermal energy.
Specific Objective 1: Analyse and evaluate the current status of geothermal energy in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe and its potential development. In addition, awareness campaigns will be carried out on geothermal energy and its current status in Macaronesia.
- Activity 1.1 – Compilation, study, synthesis and dissemination of existing information on geothermal resources in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Activity 1.2 – SWOT analysis on the development of geothermal energy in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Activity 1.3 – Organisation of three workshops in the Azores, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde on assessing geothermal potential in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe.
Specific Objective 2: Strengthen R&D&I on surface geothermal exploration in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe through the use and application of innovative methodologies.
- Activity 2.1 – Volcano-structural studies for surface geothermal exploration in volcanic-geothermal systems in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe.
- Activity 2.2 – Geochemical studies for surface geothermal exploration in volcanic-geothermal systems in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Activity 2.3 – Geophysical studies for geothermal exploration in volcanic-geothermal systems in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe.
Specific Objective 3: Assess the potential and environmental impact of geothermal energy development in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe.
- Activity 3.1 – Numerical modelling to assess medium- and high-enthalpy geothermal resources in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Activity 3.2 – Development of probabilistic maps (PFA) to identify medium- and high-enthalpy geothermal resources in Macaronesia and São Tomé and Principe.
- Activity 3.3 – Geochemical and geophysical studies on the environmental impact related to geothermal exploitation in the Azores.
