EGPD's Initiative
Europe is transitioning towards cleaner energy resources to establish a sustainable, reliable, and affordable energy system. Geothermal is critical for this transition since it provides a flexible baseload renewable source of energy. The challenges of sustainable geothermal operations require an interdisciplinary approach. Combining geoscientific and engineering solutions is essential for innovation at operational sites. Therefore, it is necessary to train the next generation of geothermal experts in order to develop and exploit the geothermal projects of tomorrow.
The European Geothermal PhD Days (EGPD) is a training program organised by PhD candidates of different universities every year. The first European Geothermal PhD-day (EGPD2010) was held at the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ - German Research Centre for Geosciences - on February 12, 2010, as an initiative of the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) joint program in geothermal energy. In total, participants working in 20 different European countries, and various scientific disciplines, have attended this PhD-training program.
EGPD is a way to efficiently spread scientific knowledge related to geothermal energy by making an event that attracts young specialists. It emulates youth in geosciences and provides a framework to make connections in a qualitative way. It provides a dedicated and informal occasion for the PhD candidates to exchange with their peers and to develop their network.
