Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EGT-TWINN (Enhancing research capacity at the Geological Survey of Estonia to accelerate the country's transition to green energy (EGT-TWINN))
Período documentado: 2023-01-01 hasta 2025-12-31
The EGT-TWINN project has received funding through the Horizon Europe HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-03 call to enhance research and technical capacity at the Geological Survey of Estonia (EGT) in order to accelerate Estonia’s transition from fossil fuel to green energy. The capacity building will be mainly focussed on developing state-of-the-art geological, geochemical and geophysical survey skills, data management workflows, and subsurface modelling capability for exploration and geological resource assessment of European critical raw materials and geothermal energy as a future potential green energy source for Estonia. The EGT geological capacity enhancement will be implemented via range of joint activities such as scientific conferences and exchanges as well as through delivery of specialised training programmes provided by three leading geological surveys in Europe – the Geological Survey of Finland, the British Geological Survey, the Geological Survey of Denmark, and University of Oulu. The project will contribute to the development of multidisciplinary research and innovation in geological studies in Estonia and enables EGT to enhance the scientific excellence of its personnel and to collaborate with experts from leading international research institutions. Furthermore, project aims to enhance the dissemination and utilization of geoscience information, to leverage EGT’s expertise in research administration, encompassing project management, financial analysis, and legal matters, and to strengthen EGT’s capacity to secure research funding at the national, EU and international levels.
The EGT-TWINN project has successfully performed all planned activities during the first 16 month period of implementation (01.01.2023–30.04.2024) in accordance with the detailed Work plan and the Grant Agreement.
The overall objective of the Work Package 1 (WP1) is to guarantee a smooth day-to-day running of the project for the entire consortium and a sound management of all project-related administrative, financial and legal matters. The main achievements of WP1 (Project Management) were organising three project meetings: the kick-off meeting on January 31–February 01, 2023 in Tallinn, the semi-annual progress meeting on August 30, 2023 (online) and the project annual meeting on January 16–18, 2024 in Edinburgh. The EGT-TWINN project also produced 10 deliverables.
The WP2 is the most comprehensive project work package which is dedicated to strengthen the geological research capacity of EGT. This WP contains seven tasks and 23 actions of which 11 actions were accomplished whereas two actions were timewise split into three separate training events. The specific tasks tackled in WP2 during the first 16 months period were: 1) T2.1 “Assessment of skills, capacity and data management at EGT”; 2) T2.2 “Transition from 2D mapping to state-of-the-art 3D model building practices; 3) T2.3 “Implementing advanced geological surveying techniques”; 4) T2.4 “Geological skills training”; 5) T2.5 “Advanced exploration and valorisation methods of critical raw materials”; T2.6 “Enhancing expertise in geochemical and geophysical studies” and T2.7 “Strengthening knowledge base in geothermal energy studies”. Thes WP2 actions were participated by 30 EGT research staff members – geologists, GIS specialists and database managers which account for 67% of the total research staff at EGT. Altogether these 30 EGT research staff members participated 69 times in tailored WP2 training courses. The WP2 main achievement is obtaining new knowledge by EGT early-career researchers from experts of the project partner organisations and establish long-lasting collaboration partners.
The major objectives of the EGT-TWINN project WP3 are to secure the transfer of knowledge, experiences and work practices from mentoring scientists of the project partner organisations to early-career researchers at EGT. There were no activities foreseen in the EGT-TWINN project in 2023. However there will be several international conferences organised in Tallinn in autumn 2024 and in summer–autumn 2025 for which preparations have been started in spring 2024 with scientific committees established, conference websites launched, and circulars sent out to target audiences.
The main aim of the EGT-TWINN project WP4 is to improve the EGT staff competence in various fields of EU level project management, including financial and legal management, as well as dissemination and exploitation of the results. The main achievements of WP4 were implementation of four workshops which were participated by 27 EGT staff members and taught by four project management experienced instructors from GTK.
The main achievements of WP5 were the development of the EGT-TWINN communication and dissemination strategy, design of the project logo and the other visual identity elements, the project website and social media channels as well as to raise the awareness of the general public on the project dissemination events and activities. The EGT-TWINN project showcased its progress at eight international conferences and workshops.
All the EGT-TWINN project activities, carried out in the first 16 months project time (01.01.2023 – 30.04.2024) have raised attractiveness of EGT for early-career researchers as a research-oriented geological survey, strengthened networks between EGT and the other project partner organisations and fostered communication with the public and policy makers on Earth Science topics towards implementing the green energy transition in Estonia.
The overall objective of the Work Package 1 (WP1) is to guarantee a smooth day-to-day running of the project for the entire consortium and a sound management of all project-related administrative, financial and legal matters. The main achievements of WP1 (Project Management) were organising three project meetings: the kick-off meeting on January 31–February 01, 2023 in Tallinn, the semi-annual progress meeting on August 30, 2023 (online) and the project annual meeting on January 16–18, 2024 in Edinburgh. The EGT-TWINN project also produced 10 deliverables.
The WP2 is the most comprehensive project work package which is dedicated to strengthen the geological research capacity of EGT. This WP contains seven tasks and 23 actions of which 11 actions were accomplished whereas two actions were timewise split into three separate training events. The specific tasks tackled in WP2 during the first 16 months period were: 1) T2.1 “Assessment of skills, capacity and data management at EGT”; 2) T2.2 “Transition from 2D mapping to state-of-the-art 3D model building practices; 3) T2.3 “Implementing advanced geological surveying techniques”; 4) T2.4 “Geological skills training”; 5) T2.5 “Advanced exploration and valorisation methods of critical raw materials”; T2.6 “Enhancing expertise in geochemical and geophysical studies” and T2.7 “Strengthening knowledge base in geothermal energy studies”. Thes WP2 actions were participated by 30 EGT research staff members – geologists, GIS specialists and database managers which account for 67% of the total research staff at EGT. Altogether these 30 EGT research staff members participated 69 times in tailored WP2 training courses. The WP2 main achievement is obtaining new knowledge by EGT early-career researchers from experts of the project partner organisations and establish long-lasting collaboration partners.
The major objectives of the EGT-TWINN project WP3 are to secure the transfer of knowledge, experiences and work practices from mentoring scientists of the project partner organisations to early-career researchers at EGT. There were no activities foreseen in the EGT-TWINN project in 2023. However there will be several international conferences organised in Tallinn in autumn 2024 and in summer–autumn 2025 for which preparations have been started in spring 2024 with scientific committees established, conference websites launched, and circulars sent out to target audiences.
The main aim of the EGT-TWINN project WP4 is to improve the EGT staff competence in various fields of EU level project management, including financial and legal management, as well as dissemination and exploitation of the results. The main achievements of WP4 were implementation of four workshops which were participated by 27 EGT staff members and taught by four project management experienced instructors from GTK.
The main achievements of WP5 were the development of the EGT-TWINN communication and dissemination strategy, design of the project logo and the other visual identity elements, the project website and social media channels as well as to raise the awareness of the general public on the project dissemination events and activities. The EGT-TWINN project showcased its progress at eight international conferences and workshops.
All the EGT-TWINN project activities, carried out in the first 16 months project time (01.01.2023 – 30.04.2024) have raised attractiveness of EGT for early-career researchers as a research-oriented geological survey, strengthened networks between EGT and the other project partner organisations and fostered communication with the public and policy makers on Earth Science topics towards implementing the green energy transition in Estonia.
The anticipated impacts of the EGT-TWINN project’s results, as outlined in section 2.3 of the Impact Summary in the Description of Action (DoA), remain relevant and do not require updating. However, during the final reporting period, we will identify key factors necessary to ensure further adoption and success. Specific achievements during this reporting period have been communicated through the number of deliverables submitted to the EU Funding & Tenders portal.