Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EarthSafe (Unveiling Earth’s Critical Resources for Clean Energy and a Sustainable Future)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-10-01 al 2025-09-30
EarthSafe sets the stage for a transformational leap in the exploration and assessment of deep geothermal energy and critical minerals. As humanity approaches the third energy transition, the demand for low-carbon and renewable energy sources is rising sharply, accompanied by a rapidly increasing need for critical minerals. Predictions suggest a quadrupling of the global supply of critical minerals by 2040, with the EU requiring up to 18 times more lithium, five times more cobalt, and 120 times more neodymium by 2030. The European Union’s dependency on imports for over 95% of these materials emphasizes the urgency for innovative exploration technologies.
At the same time, the EU’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal, necessitates rapid shifts to alternative energy sources. Deep geothermal energy, particularly super-hot geothermal systems (≥ 400 °C), presents a promising solution for large-scale, continuous, and sustainable energy generation. However, limitations in current exploration and assessment technologies hinder the full realization of this potential.
Project Pathway to Impact
The EarthSafe project’s primary goal is to create transformational data-fusion platforms that integrate satellite and land-based datasets using cutting-edge Machine Learning (ML), probabilistic inverse theory, and computational modelling. These platforms will enable global and regional exploration of geothermal and mineral resources, provide pre-competitive data and models for greenfields and brownfields exploration, and support cost-efficient, globally applicable technologies to accelerate the transition to clean energy and green technologies.
EarthSafe aligns closely with the objectives of the European Green Deal, addressing both the decarbonization of energy systems and the reduction of social and regional disparities. By fostering innovation in exploration methodologies, the project supports achieving eight United Nations Development Goals (UNDGs), including clean energy (Goal 7), industry innovation (Goal 9), and climate action (Goal 13).
Political and Strategic Context
Recent geopolitical shifts, including the European response to energy disruptions in 2022, underscore the urgency of reducing reliance on fossil fuels and imported critical minerals. Investment in deep geothermal energy, projected to grow by over 60% in the coming decade, is pivotal to Europe’s energy strategy. However, the lack of reliable, large-scale exploration technologies remains a major barrier to unlocking these resources.
Scale and Significance of Expected Impacts
EarthSafe’s expected impacts are multi-dimensional. By advancing exploration capabilities, the project will support the development of deep geothermal reservoirs, providing a sustainable energy source with minimal environmental footprint. Its multidisciplinary approach positions Europe as a leader in sustainable exploration technologies while supporting vulnerable societies with new energy opportunities, addressing energy poverty and inequality.
Integration of Social Sciences and Humanities
Recognizing the importance of public perception and engagement, EarthSafe incorporates social sciences to analyse public perceptions of mineral and geothermal exploration, enhance science communication, and develop socially responsible practices for exploration and resource management. By addressing societal and ethical dimensions, the project ensures that technical innovations align with public acceptance and regulatory standards.
At the same time, the EU’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, as outlined in the European Green Deal, necessitates rapid shifts to alternative energy sources. Deep geothermal energy, particularly super-hot geothermal systems (≥ 400 °C), presents a promising solution for large-scale, continuous, and sustainable energy generation. However, limitations in current exploration and assessment technologies hinder the full realization of this potential.
Project Pathway to Impact
The EarthSafe project’s primary goal is to create transformational data-fusion platforms that integrate satellite and land-based datasets using cutting-edge Machine Learning (ML), probabilistic inverse theory, and computational modelling. These platforms will enable global and regional exploration of geothermal and mineral resources, provide pre-competitive data and models for greenfields and brownfields exploration, and support cost-efficient, globally applicable technologies to accelerate the transition to clean energy and green technologies.
EarthSafe aligns closely with the objectives of the European Green Deal, addressing both the decarbonization of energy systems and the reduction of social and regional disparities. By fostering innovation in exploration methodologies, the project supports achieving eight United Nations Development Goals (UNDGs), including clean energy (Goal 7), industry innovation (Goal 9), and climate action (Goal 13).
Political and Strategic Context
Recent geopolitical shifts, including the European response to energy disruptions in 2022, underscore the urgency of reducing reliance on fossil fuels and imported critical minerals. Investment in deep geothermal energy, projected to grow by over 60% in the coming decade, is pivotal to Europe’s energy strategy. However, the lack of reliable, large-scale exploration technologies remains a major barrier to unlocking these resources.
Scale and Significance of Expected Impacts
EarthSafe’s expected impacts are multi-dimensional. By advancing exploration capabilities, the project will support the development of deep geothermal reservoirs, providing a sustainable energy source with minimal environmental footprint. Its multidisciplinary approach positions Europe as a leader in sustainable exploration technologies while supporting vulnerable societies with new energy opportunities, addressing energy poverty and inequality.
Integration of Social Sciences and Humanities
Recognizing the importance of public perception and engagement, EarthSafe incorporates social sciences to analyse public perceptions of mineral and geothermal exploration, enhance science communication, and develop socially responsible practices for exploration and resource management. By addressing societal and ethical dimensions, the project ensures that technical innovations align with public acceptance and regulatory standards.
This research project integrates advanced technology with a social perspective to improve understanding of the Earth’s interior and optimise the search for resources essential to the energy transition. Machine Learning is used to create fast “surrogates” or digital twins that replace computationally expensive numerical techniques. These models enable millions of estimations of chemical composition, rock physics, and geological processes that were previously impractical, improving simulations of the Earth’s interior and supporting exploration of mineral deposits and clean geothermal energy.
As in medical ultrasound, geophysics aims to image the planet’s interior, but results are often blurred by data complexity. Advanced mathematical methods are being developed to reduce noise and produce high-resolution images of the Earth’s crust. By integrating seismic, magnetic, and electromagnetic data within a single framework, the project delivers clearer views of deep structures relevant to natural hazards and geothermal resource management.
The project also addresses social acceptance and public perception of emerging technologies such as geothermal energy. Media narratives and interactions among governments, industry, and citizens are analysed to develop inclusive communication strategies that support informed public engagement with the low-carbon energy transition.
As in medical ultrasound, geophysics aims to image the planet’s interior, but results are often blurred by data complexity. Advanced mathematical methods are being developed to reduce noise and produce high-resolution images of the Earth’s crust. By integrating seismic, magnetic, and electromagnetic data within a single framework, the project delivers clearer views of deep structures relevant to natural hazards and geothermal resource management.
The project also addresses social acceptance and public perception of emerging technologies such as geothermal energy. Media narratives and interactions among governments, industry, and citizens are analysed to develop inclusive communication strategies that support informed public engagement with the low-carbon energy transition.
EarthSafe goes beyond the state of the art by enabling integrated, uncertainty-aware modelling of the Earth’s lithosphere at regional to global scales. Through the combined use of machine learning, reduced-order modelling, and Bayesian inference, the project overcomes long-standing computational barriers that have limited probabilistic integration of multiple geophysical and geodynamic datasets. In parallel, EarthSafe advances beyond current practice by embedding social-science research and science communication directly within the technical research framework. A key result is a holistic doctoral training model that deliberately breaks disciplinary silos, producing researchers with advanced quantitative skills, cross-disciplinary competence, and societal awareness, thereby strengthening Europe’s long-term capacity for responsible resource exploration and energy transition.