The doctoral rift science network for the energy transition

Project Information

TALENTS

Grant agreement ID: 101119486

DOI

10.3030/101119486

EC signature date 13 July 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 2 700 252,00

Coordinated by

GFZ HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR GEOFORSCHUNG
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TALENTS (The doctoral rift science network for the energy transition)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Active and ancient continental rifts are at the centre of a green energy and low carbon future. For the ~50 years since the birth of plate tectonics theory, studies of how and why continents break apart and new oceans form have been driven to a large degree by the search for hydrocarbons. This has led to significant knowledge gaps on key aspects of continental rifting, such as the controlling factors that allow rifts to initiate and then break up to form a new ocean, the interaction between surface processes and subsurface tectonics, the transfer of heat and mass due to fluid flow and magmatic activity, and the potential for alternative energies and their associated challenges. However, society is now at one of the most critical moments in history, with significant reductions in CO2 emissions required to keep average global temperatures sufficiently low. To achieve this, the majority of climate models require a transition to the use of low CO2 emitting sustainable “green” energy sources, such as geothermal, and also to capture and store CO2 below ground.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The activities and main scientific achievements were primarily accomplished by TALENTS doctoral students.
Of the four proposed workshops, two were held, during which everyone presented their projects or scientific advances to the TALENTS community. PIs and some industry partners participated by presenting scientific cases related to the TALENTS theme or contributing to short face-to-face courses.
Other activities included field trips led by PIs to a geothermal site in Italy and a week-long excursion to the Gulf of Corinth Rift. Additionally, some students conducted their initial fieldwork in their thesis areas.
The main scientific achievements were the publications produced by various TALENTS members and listed on the EU platform.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The TALENTS Doctoral Network has advanced rift science through integrated studies of rift systems in Greece, Sicily, and East Africa, producing new models of strain localization, fault weakening, and fluid dynamics, including hydrogen generation through serpentinization. The project delivered quantitative benchmarks for rift volatile mobility and empirical data on gas generation rates and potential reservoirs, enhancing scientific understanding and informing global tectonic models. Demonstrations at pilot sites in rift-inversion orogens such as the Alps have assessed the viability of natural hydrogen and rare gas accumulation through integrated laboratory and field approaches, providing proof-of-concept for clean energy resource exploration that could reduce fossil fuel dependency. In parallel, collaboration with industry has produced tailored workflows for fault-controlled geothermal reservoirs in regions such as the Upper Rhine Graben, supporting technology uptake and contributing to the potential acceleration of geothermal energy commercialization in Europe.

The 12 TALENTS projects are organized into three work packages (WP)