CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELL'ORDINE DEI GEOLOGI

Their core work

The National Council of the Order of Geologists is Italy's professional regulatory body for geologists, representing and certifying geological professionals nationwide. In H2020 projects, they contribute domain expertise on subsurface resources — particularly geothermal energy systems, mineral exploration, and hydrogeology. Their role is to provide professional geological knowledge, regulatory perspective, and practitioner networks to research consortia working on deep Earth resource extraction and renewable geothermal energy. As a professional order, they bridge the gap between academic geoscience research and the practicing geological community across Italy.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), the organization focused on foundational geological topics: hydrogeology knowledge mapping (KINDRA), international raw materials cooperation (INTRAW), deep geothermal-mineral extraction (CHPM2030), and robotic mine surveying (UNEXMIN). From 2019 onward, the emphasis shifted toward socially responsible resource development — non-invasive exploration with community buy-in (INFACT), crowd-funded geothermal energy (CROWDTHERMAL), and advanced geothermal fluid characterization (REFLECT). The trajectory shows a clear move from traditional geological resource cataloguing toward making subsurface energy and mineral extraction more socially acceptable and technically precise.

They are moving toward the social and community dimensions of geothermal energy deployment, making them a relevant partner for projects needing geological credibility combined with public engagement expertise.

How they like to work

They participate exclusively as a third party — linked to projects through other Italian partners rather than directly contracted by the consortium. This means they provide targeted expert input rather than carrying work packages. With 105 unique partners across 33 countries from just 8 projects, they sit inside very large consortia, contributing professional geological authority and access to Italy's practicing geologist community without taking on major project management responsibilities.

Despite their third-party role, they are connected to 105 unique partners across 33 countries, reflecting the large international consortia typical of raw materials and geothermal research in H2020. Their network spans well beyond Europe, with INTRAW specifically focused on international cooperation with resource-rich countries.

What sets them apart

As Italy's official professional body for geologists, they offer something no university or research institute can: direct access to and authority over the national community of practicing geologists. This makes them valuable for projects needing professional validation, practitioner feedback, or dissemination channels to the geological profession. For consortium builders, partnering with them signals institutional credibility and ensures that research outputs reach the people who actually do geological fieldwork in Italy.

Highlights from their portfolio

• CHPM2030
  Unusually ambitious concept combining geothermal heat extraction with metal recovery from ultra-deep ore bodies — a rare intersection of energy and mining.
• CROWDTHERMAL
  Explored alternative finance and community ownership models for geothermal energy, connecting geological expertise with social innovation.
• UNEXMIN
  Developed autonomous underwater robots for exploring flooded abandoned mines — a striking application of robotics to geological heritage.