ISLENSKAR ORKURANNSOKNIR

Their core work

ISOR (Iceland GeoSurvey) is Iceland's national research centre for geothermal energy, providing applied geoscience services for geothermal exploration, drilling, reservoir engineering, and environmental assessment. They bring decades of hands-on experience operating in one of the world's most active geothermal regions, making them a uniquely credible partner for deep geothermal development. Their work spans the full geothermal value chain — from characterizing subsurface fluid properties and managing seismic risk during stimulation, to controlling geothermal emissions (CO2, non-condensable gases) and developing durable well materials for extreme high-temperature environments.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ISOR's early H2020 work (2015-2017) centred on deploying and de-risking deep enhanced geothermal systems — stimulation techniques, seismic risk management, and experimental approaches like combined heat-power-metal extraction from deep ore bodies. From 2018 onward, their focus shifted markedly toward the environmental and sustainability dimensions of geothermal energy: controlling CO2 and non-condensable gas emissions, conducting lifecycle assessments, and understanding fluid behaviour under extreme conditions. This evolution reflects a maturing field moving from "can we make it work?" to "can we make it clean, durable, and scalable?"

ISOR is moving toward clean geothermal operations — expect future work in CO2 mineralisation, environmental compliance, and extreme-condition reservoir characterisation.

How they like to work

ISOR operates overwhelmingly as a specialist partner (8 of 9 projects), bringing deep geothermal domain knowledge into large European consortia rather than leading them. With 147 unique partners across 36 countries from just 9 projects, they are a high-connectivity hub — each project connects them to a broad new set of collaborators. Their single coordinator role (GeoWell) was in their absolute core competence area, suggesting they lead only when the topic squarely matches their operational strengths.

Remarkably wide network for a small national research centre: 147 distinct partners across 36 countries from 9 projects, indicating they are a sought-after geothermal specialist embedded in major pan-European consortia. Their reach extends beyond Europe through projects like GEMex (Europe-Mexico cooperation).

What sets them apart

ISOR operates from Iceland — arguably the world's most advanced natural laboratory for geothermal energy. No other European partner can offer the same combination of real-world high-temperature geothermal operational experience with research capability. For any consortium needing credible geothermal field validation, ISOR provides something that cannot be replicated in a laboratory or simulation: direct access to active geothermal systems and decades of operational data.

Highlights from their portfolio

• DEEPEGS
  Largest single funding (EUR 2M) — a flagship demonstration of deep enhanced geothermal systems for commercial energy production.
• GeoWell
  ISOR's only coordinator role, focused on their core strength: high-temperature geothermal well materials and longevity.
• GECO
  Second-largest budget (EUR 1.8M) and marks ISOR's strategic pivot toward geothermal emission control and CO2 mineralisation.