A major unsolved problem in space weather involves predicting the solar wind at the Sun-Earth L1 point, specifically its speed and the north-south (Bz) magnetic field component. Knowledge of the future solar wind time evolution would allow us to drive any models for magnetospheric processes, such as the aurora, the radiation belts, the ionosphere or the currents induced in power lines with much higher reliability and forecast lead time than currently possible. Our modern society increasingly depends on space borne technology and predicting extreme space weather conditions at Earth is therefore of pivotal importance. Our hypothesis is that we can predict the strongest Bz fields in magnetic flux ropes in solar coronal mass ejection (CMEs) with a novel combination of hyper-fast semi-empirical models in our new HELIO4CAST simulation, capable of running millions of ensemble members within minutes. Due to the coherence of flux ropes, it will be possible to forecast geomagnetic storms with lead times of 12 hours or more. Additionally, for clarifying unsolved problems on the CME global shape and magnetic structure, a window of opportunity has opened at the start of solar cycle 25 with the successful launches and operations of Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe, and BepiColombo, forming an unprecedented fleet of spacecraft to study CMEs. Groundbreaking numbers of multipoint lineup events, Solar Orbiter imaging for the first time from higher latitudes, and novel in situ data from Parker Solar Probe close to the Sun will lead to new discoveries. These unique observations in the solar wind will also deepen our knowledge of stellar CMEs. The team is lead by an accomplished PI with the necessary broad scientific expertise. This ERC project provides an unconventional, direct feedback loop between answering open scientific questions and the application of forecasts in real time that will bring decisive progress in making a reliable space weather prediction part of our daily lives.

GO-Forward aims to develop a novel methodological approach to make more accurate pre-drilling predictions of geothermal reservoir properties and thus reduce the mining risk. Key to the GO-Forward approach is to simulate geological processes for pre-drill assessment of reservoir structure and properties, calibrated to geological or geophysical data, rather than extrapolating the properties from those data with geostatistical methods. To this end, GO-Forward focuses on extending and further developing, testing and demonstrating the added value of forward modelling methods originally developed for hydrocarbon exploration, including stratigraphic forward modelling (SFM), diagenesis forward modelling (DFM) and fracture network forward modelling (FFM), to be used for exploration in different geothermal settings of high relevance for Europe. First, the developed approaches will be tested and calibrated in areas with abundant subsurface information and production data, to prove conceptually the applicability of the methods and reproducibility of the results, to optimise and de-risk geothermal exploration. Calibrated model approaches are subsequently applied in areas with limited data availability to demonstrate their capability to increase pre-drill Probability of Success (POS). To support the workflow and further reduce exploration costs, GO-Forward advances ML-based and computational methods to enhance (existing) (sub)surface information for calibration, uncertainty quantification and data assimilation, and (upscaling) routines for flow simulation, DNSH, and techno-economic performance assessment for POS and Value of Information (VOI). In addition, GO-Forward addresses public awareness of geothermal developments already at the early stages of exploration. By including novel approaches to citizen engagement and stakeholder dialogue, we aim to increase the societal readiness level of geothermal exploration as the first step of geothermal developments.

Heating and cooling in buildings and industry accounts for half of the EU’s energy consumption, making it the biggest energy end-use sector ahead of both, transport and electricity. Approximately 75% of heating and cooling is still generated from fossil fuels while only 22% is generated from renewable energy. District heating and cooling networks supplied by renewable energy sources can be a solution to all these issues, offering a clean, energy-efficient, and cost-effective alternative to individual fossil-fuel heating systems. Geothermal energy has the potential to play a vital role inside heating and cooling networks by offering zero emission stable base load supply and heat storage in the subsurface. Still, geothermal energy supplied heating and cooling networks (‘geoHC networks’) cover a small niche of around 1% inside the European heating and cooling sector, which is a result of primarily non-technological market barriers. SAPHEA addresses the uptake of multivalent heating and cooling networks supplied by geothermal energy by creating a durable digital market uptake hub. The hub contains toolboxes and guidelines to support stakeholders in early stage investment decisions and strategy planning activities and addresses market actors in districts or municipalities all across Europe. SAPHEA will therefore combine, adapt and expand existing tools (e.g., Hotmaps or EnerMaps) considering a set of market ready and emerging technological concepts linked to geoHC networks. The users of the hub, represented by local authorities, community services and energy suppliers will be empowered by targeted trainings to draft development scenarios and roadmaps taking into consideration the specific geological and socio-economic boundary conditions in their respective region. Dedicated communication activities will lead to the establishment to a lively network around the market uptake hub of public and private market actors as well as researchers beyond the lifetime of SAPHEA.

The Multi-source and Multi-scale Earth observation and Novel Machine Learning Methods for Mineral Exploration and Mine Site Monitoring (MultiMiner) project develops novel data processing algorithms for cost-effective utilization of Earth Observation (EO) technologies for mineral exploration and mine site monitoring. MultiMiner unlocks the potential of EO data, including Copernicus, commercial satellites, upcoming missions, airborne and low altitude as well as in situ data, to support the entire mining life cycle including mineral exploration, operational, closure and post-closure stages. This is achieved by creating generic but highly innovative machine learning solutions which do not require any or only little ground truth data. The project focuses on new EO based exploration technologies for critical raw materials (CRM) to increase the probability of finding new sources within EU thereby strengthening the EU autonomy in the area of raw materials. MultiMiner EO based exploration solutions have extremely low environmental impact, and are thus socially acceptable, economically efficient and improve safety. The project’s solutions for mine site monitoring increase the transparency of mining operations as environmental impacts can be detected as early as possible and digital information of the currently unexploitable raw materials can be stored for future generations. The applicability of the developed algorithms is demonstrated in 4 European test sites. MultiMiner is a pan-European consortium consisting of 12 partners and 1 associated partner from research institutes, academia, consulting businesses and mining industry with interdisciplinary backgrounds in geology, remote sensing and machine learning. The members come from six EU member states which represent mining regions across Europe with diverse geology with evident potential for various types of CRM resources and thousands of operational and closed mines.

START project primary objective is to build an innovation ecosystem in the European Union (EU) based on the development of sustainable and economically viable thermoelectric (TE) waste heat harvesting systems to be applied in heavy industry and in maritime industry as well as primary power source for off-grid sensors and IoT devices. This objective will be achieved by incorporating abundant sulphides (mainly tetrahedrite mineral series), at present an environment hazard in mine tailings, collected in five European countries, in the production of advanced sulphide p-type TE thermoelements. In contrast, current commercial TE devices incorporate p-type and n-type TE thermoelements that are produced from expensive and rare elements, namely tellurium, which is predominantly sourced in China. The impact of START project approach on endorsing a more sustainable and resilient EU comes from three inputs. First, by reducing EU?s dependence on primary critical raw materials. Secondly, through the promotion of circular economy processes that will create value in EU by building a strategic ecosystem based on a high-abundant mineral. Just recently, it was demonstrated by our team that the mineral was amenable to processing to single phase p-type tetrahedrite. Thirdly, by the production of TE energy harvesting systems offering a contribution to the reduction of fossil fuels consumption with a great impact on the increase of the overall efficiency of energy production and consumption systems, as well as on the reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions. For that, START project aggregates research organizations, with strong background and knowledge on geology, materials science and renewable energies, and industrial organizations that guarantee the entire production and exploitation supply chain.