From 2 to 6 June, the ICGC, a partner of the consortium, participated in the 1st Geo-RIN congress in Benasque, where the ThermEcoWat project, dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of thermal ecosystems in the face of climate change, was presented.
ThermEcoWat Project Presented at the 1st Geo-RIN Congress in Spain
The ThermEcoWat project highlights the importance of studying thermal ecosystems and their vulnerability to climate change from a multidisciplinary perspective.
From June 2 to 6, the ICGC, the geological service of Catalonia and a consortium partner, participated in the 1st Congress of the Geothermal Research and Innovation Network of Portugal and Spain (Geo-RIN), held in Benasque, where the ThermEcoWat project was presented.
A Focus on Innovation and Energy Sustainability
The presentation was part of the session “Case Studies and Best Practices,” which was focused on new methodologies and innovations for energy sustainability. During this session, fully oriented towards technological innovation and sustainability, experts from various fields shared their visions to tackle future energy challenges including the energy exploitation of thermal waters.
The presentation of the ThermEcoWat project demonstrated that to face the challenges of climate change in thermal ecosystems, it is necessary to change the current exploitation model of thermal waters, as a mineral-medicinal water resource, and diversify their use by incorporating their energy vector.
During the conference, different aspects of the legal frameworks across EU to walk towards and efficient energy transition were also discussed. In this regard, ThermEcoWat presented how a specific analysis is being carried out in the three pilot cases to identify the limitations and/or opportunities within current regulatory frameworks that will influence the development and potential adaptations of thermal regions.
Contributing to the EU Green Deal Objectives
Based on the insights shared during the geothermal conference, it can be concluded that the fundamentals and strategic development paths of the ThermEcoWat project are aligned with the current EU Green Deal’s objectives for a just and sustainable energy transition. It represents a concrete and territorially grounded initiative that addresses the dual challenge of climate adaptation and the responsible use of geothermal resources, thereby contributing to the implementation of effective, science-based actions in thermal regions.
