LPRC presents its projects during the EGU General Assembly 2022

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Similarly to previous EGU editions, La Palma Research Centre took part in this year’s EGU General Assembly. LPRC presented 4 of its EU projects: UNEXUP, ROBOMINERS, ENGIE and CROWDTHERMAL.

This time, the EGU General Assembly was hosted in an hybrid format. All LPRC projects were presented online in 5-minute style presentations followed by questions made by the online and in person participants. Find our views and more information on each of our presentation below:

UNEXUP (Session ERE4.4 – Automation and robotics for raw material exploration and production in Europe)

  • Abstract & Information
  • Number of attendes: 12 online + 10 in person
  • Questions and discussion: How deep can the UX robot dive? For how long can it work?

ROBOMINERS (Session ERE4.4 – Automation and robotics for raw material exploration and production in Europe)

  • Abstract & Information
  • Number of attendes: 12 online + 10 in person
  • Questions and discussion: What type of minerals can be mined with ROBOMINERS? What is the state of the technology? When will the first field results come out?

ENGIE (Session EOS3.1 – Promoting and supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in the geosciences)

  • Abstract & Information
  • Number of attendes: 36 online + 18 in person
  • Questions and discussion: No questions during the session, but a few participants promised to send an email for follow-up discussions.

CROWDTHERMAL (Session ERE2.5 – Exploration, utilization and monitoring of conventional and unconventional geothermal resources)

For now, it is still possible to have a look at the uploaded project material – just click on the project links above and get more information on these projects!

LPRC members participate in a joint Clustering workshop with PIPEBOTS/UNEXUP/ROBOMINERS

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La Palma Research Centre participated in a recent tri-project clustering event. The clustering action, mainl developed by the PIPEBOTS project with help from the UNEXUP and ROBOMINERS projects (where LPRC is a partner), focused on robotics-related discussions, especially with the use of robotics in harsh environments.

Prior to the clustering event, thematic videos on the three projects were submitted in advance for consultation. The videos worked around presenting the projects and connected to specific themes such as Communications and power, Autonomy, and Navigation. A total of twenty-two participants were present to discuss the projects and robotics themes. LPRC was represented by two members.

This Clustering event, after an interesting debate, showcased that there are development and implementation issues common to the three projects and that a good way to move forward is to join forces and share best ideas. There is also the possibility to organise a new joint clustering and dissemination event for further collaboration.

LPRC is co-responsible for the Clustering actions within the ROBOMINERS project and leads the Communication and Dissemination efforts in UNEXUP.

Call for experts – ROBOMINERS Delphi Survey

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The LPRC team would like to invite you to answer to the ROBOMINERS Delphi Survey Round 2 as an expert in mining / geosciences topics: https://webgate.acceptance.ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/ROBOMINERSDelphiSurvey2ndRound.

The ROBOMINERS Delphi Survey presents a series of statements about the future (2050) on topics relevant for the vision and implementation of its technology line. You, as a participant, are invited to freely comment and express opinion on those topics.

In particular, this Survey is the 2nd round of the Delphi Survey which builds upon the comments and statistics made by the experts in Round 1. You can find the statistics and highlights from the previous Round here. This will be the last round and after all data is collected from experts it will be processed and a final document with the results will be produced.

The ROBOMINERS concept

Participation in the survey takes approximately 30 minutes and your answers will be kept strictly confidential and anonymous.

Thank you for your help!

About Delphi Surveys

The Delphi survey was originally developed as a technological forecasting technique, which aimed at reaching consensus over relevant technological developments. Nowadays, Delphi Surveys have expanded into a variety of modified approaches. However, at its core, the Delphi method stands out as a reliable method in situations where individual judgements must be elicited and combined to address an incomplete state of knowledge. The Delphi method is based on anonymous opinions of experts who are fed back the results of a round-based survey, allowing these experts to rethink their judgement and converge to consensus over key identified areas.

LPRC will host the La Palma Bootcamp for the EMPORIA4KT project

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La Palma Research Centre is a new member of the EMPORIA4KT project, granted as part of the extension call issued for the INTERREG Atlantinc projects. This project works towards the design and implementation of actions between triple helix players to foster innovation and competitiveness within Blue Economy sectors, which is especially important for La Palma.

EMPORIA4KT Logo and Funding

LPRC will now organise and host the “La Palma Bootcamp” to discuss the blue transformation in the Canary Islands – the role of academia, government, industry and society for fostering Blue Economy. The goal of the Bootcamp is knowing the trends, challenges and needs to foster Blue Economy in the Canary Islands and La Palma. These will be identified by representatives of the quadruple helix (academy, government, industry, and societal actors).

The Bootcamp will be held on Thursday 26 May 2022, from 9:30h to 17:00h on H10 Taburiente Playa, Los Cancajos, La Palma (hybrid event). Information to follow the event on streaming will come soon.

Information on the Bootcamp programme can be found here in English and in Spanish.

If you want to attend the Bootcamp in person, kindly confirm your participation at  laia.darmengol@lapalmacentre.eu.

For online registration please use the following link: https://www.eventbrite.pt/e/la-palma-bootcamp-emporia4kt-tickets-345645233197

EMPORIA4KT

LPRC in Madrid, for CROWDTHERMAL meetings

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From 6 to 8 April 2022 the CROWDTHERMAL partners were together in Madrid, Spain, as well as virtually. The three days of intense work had the purpose of discussing and updating the work accomplished within each of the Work Packages; to collect input from the Advisory Board regarding future steps; and to conduct the 1st CROWDTHERMAL International Conference. In this opportunity, the Work Package leaders presented their work, followed by questions and an open discussion about specific topics to be prioritized in the upcoming weeks and months.

LPRC (represented by Márcio Tameirão) showcased the current work of integration and deployment of the CROWDTHERMAL Core Services as webtools on the website, to be used by community investors, geothermal project developers, and local authorities. These tools intend to educate the target audiences about several topics around CROWDTHERMAL, such as geothermal energy, alternative finance, social aspects, and financial risk mitigation.

  • 6 April: The first day of the program consisted of an internal consortium meeting, in which LPRC presented the current state of the Core Services as webtools to collect feedback and suggestions for improvement. In addition, there were discussions about the sustainability of the projects results beyond the EC-funded period – also led by LPRC and CrowdfundingHub.

    Internal consortium meeting

  • 7 April: In the next day the 1st CROWDTHERMAL International Conference was held, which counted with more than 140 online participants. In the last block of the event, Márcio (LPRC) presented the preview of how the webtools can add value to the target audiences, e.g., community investors, geothermal project developers, and the local authorities.

    1st CROWDTHERMAL International Conference

  • 8 April: The last and final day of meetings was a great opportunity to discuss these updates with the Advisory Board of the project – experts in geothermal energy who provided valuable input and improvement points to be implemented in the next weeks.

    Meeting with the Advisory Board

The presentations and discussions in Madrid – and for the participants online – resulted in important feedback and discussions to improve not only the CROWDTHERMAL Core Services, related to Work Package 4 led by LPRC, but all aspects of the project in the upcoming months.

CROWDTHERMAL will end towards this year, so a lot of developments are coming in the next months. Keep updated with the project on its website and social media channels.

LPRC meets PLOCAN in La Palma with a look at the future

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The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) and LPRC met in Los Llanos in La Palma, to plan future collaboration actions and to find possible synergies for the upcoming years in areas where both teams work – blue economy, energy and islands’ sustainability, for example. The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands is a Research Infrastructure labeled by the ICTS (Unique Scientific and Technological Infrastructure) Spanish National Roadmap, co-funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of the Spanish government and the Canary Islands government and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Operational Programme of the Canary Islands.

The teams conveyed in the LPRC’s offices in the island of La Palma, where part of the PLOCAN team attended in person and part from their offices in Gran Canaria, during two hours, mapping the upcoming European and national funding opportunities that could create some joint efforts. While the meeting focused on future projects, collaboration for upcoming events and networking opportunities was also set for 2022.

PLOCAN and LPRC have set up a fruitful relationship in the past with a number of proposals now under development and collaboration in events such as the European Researchers’ Night of the Macaronesia.

LPRC contributes to the 4th UNEXUP Progress meeting

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The UNEXUP consortium had the opportunity to meet in person for the first time since the kick-off-meeting of the project, held in Budapest, Hungary, in early February 2020. During this period of time, three Progress Meetings were held online, due to the travel restrictions and different phases related to the ongoing pandemic that Europe is facing.

The 4th Progress Meeting took place in Porto, Portugal, on 25-26 January 2022, hosted by the partner INESC TEC. The event was hybrid, and the attendance comprised participants both in person and in virtual mode. The first day of the event was initiated with welcome words and practicalities by the UNEXUP Coordinator Norbert Zajzon, followed by a short presentation about general aspects of the project. After that, the Work Package (WP) leaders were invited to present the progress and future steps of their activities.

LPRC is the leader of WP4 – Communication, dissemination and outreach, whose tasks are related to the communication & dissemination management, development and maintenance of the outreach tools, and raising market interest. In this context, Márcio Tameirão presented the past, current, and future activities and tools to support the work plan. In addition, LPRC’s work in WPs 0 (Market strategy and business development portfolio) and 2 (Pilots) were also reflected in their respective presentations. This session was followed by an open discussion and input from the Advisory Board of the project.

The UNEXUP Final Conference will be held in Brussels, Belgium, and LPRC will provide support related to organization and planning of the agenda and venue. It will be a great opportunity to showcase the robot and engage with stakeholders and potential customers of the exploration service in the final months of the project.

Follow the project on the website for more news.

LPRC participates on a new EIT RawMaterials Education project!

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TIMREX is a newly started EIT RawMaterials project that will develop a Master’ Programme for Innovative Mineral Resource Exploration. The project started in the beginning of 2022, and it will be concluded at the end of 2024.

The Kick-off meeting was held on Friday 14th January 2022, online with the 10 partner institutions, including LPRC. A total of 20 participants had the chance to discuss the initials steps and work plan in TIMREX. From LPRC, Luís Lopes (leading WP4) and Márcio Tameirão (leading WP7) were present.

The meeting started with welcome words from Ferenc Mádai, the Project Coordinator, from University of Miskolc. Afterwards, each partner had a few seconds to briefly introduce themselves to the other participants. In the sequence, the Project Coordinator proceeded with an overview of TIMREX, the main objectives, timeline, and the KPIs to be pursued. Subsequently, both the universities and the industrial & research members of the consortium presented their organisations and their role in the project. In this ocasion, Luís Lopes presented LPRC and its competences to be brought to TIMREX.

The last session consisted of presentations of each Work Package, by their respective leaders, comprising its objectives, timeline and expected impacts:

  • WP1 – Management and Governance (University of Miskolc)
  • WP2 – Curriculum development towards Lighthouse targets (Wroclaw University of Science and Technology)
  • WP3 – Mobility scheme development and labelling (University of Zagreb – Faculty of Mining, Geology and Petroleum Engineering)
  • WP4 – Innovation and Entrepreneurship modules development (La Palma Research Centre)
  • WP5 – Mentoring and SOC competences development ( European Federation of Geologists)
  • WP6 – Field program development, organization and coordination ( Luleå University of Technology)
  • WP7 – Dissemination and outreach (La Palma Research Centre)

Follow the project updates and news on the website.

ROBOMINERS

ROBOMINERS Consortium Meeting with LPRC in Austria

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The ROBOMINERS Consortium, in which LPRC participates, hosted its first in-person meeting in almost 2 years. Between the 16 and 18 of November 2021, the partners were in Leoben (Austria) to discuss the evolution of the project. LPRC members Luís Lopes and Márcio Tameirão represented the company in this event. ROBOMINERS’ innovative approach combines the creation of a new mining ecosystem with novel ideas from other sectors, in particular with the inclusion of disruptive concepts from robotics.

The first day of the meeting started with the review and updates on the various Work Packages (WPs) of the project. During this session, LPRC presented the work that is being implemented on WP8 – Active Roadmapping and Clustering, which the team leads. The previous work was analyzed and next steps were defined for the months to come. During the afternoon, the consortium was divided into different sessions. In one of this sessions, LPRC hosted an interactive Horizon Scanning Exercise (following a previous one) with the ROBOMINERS experts. This exercise aimed at analysing “hits” – aspects of relevance for the implementation of ROBOMINERS – and study how they can impact and be important for the continuation of the project. The results will now be processed by the LPRC team.

On the second day, the ROBOMINERS partners visited a mine in neighboring Slovenia – Mežica mine – which is under consideration for a test site location for the project’s demonstrations. On the third and final day, and back to Leoben, the project hosted its 2nd Clustering event entitled “The key technological obstacles towards a fully autonomous robotic mining (eco)system”, a Twinning Event organised between Leoben, Brussels and online. LPRC took part in the preparation of this Clustering event.

Follow the project developments on its website and social media channels!

INCORE

LPRC was in the Madeira Island for the first in person INCORE meeting

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After a few months of online collaboration, the INCORE consortium had the first opportunity to meet in person to discuss the project progress in the Madeira Island between 9 and 11 November 2021. LPRC members Luís Lopes and Márcio Tameirão were in this Outermost Region island not only to help define next activities and steps but also to bring coordination to the communication and dissemination efforts of the project.

The three-day meeting was planned according to the following schedule:

  1. 9th November 2021: Welcome by Univerirsity of Madeira´s Dean and Vice Dean: brief introduction of the consortium, short presentation about INCORE’s concept, background and objectives, emphasizing its positive impact in the entrepreneurship and innovation sectors in the EU Outermost Regions. The introduction of the project was well received by UMa’s dean and vice dean, who showed a strong support to the initiative.
  2. 10th November 2021: 8th INCORE Consortium Meeting: The task leaders related to Work Package 2 – Setting the Stage – presented the work progress and the produced deliverables that mapped topics on Contextual analysis of the regional innovation environment, Institutional capacities and information exchange, Training and mentoring programmes to be developed in INCORE and the Action Plan and Roadmap to implementation.
  3. 11th November 2021: 1st open INCORE regional event: a hybrid event held in Universidade da Madeira, as well as online. The opening session was conducted by the vice dean of UMa, followed by the Project Coordinator Nuno Almeida, who provided a presentation about the project. After that, the next session titled “Innovation Capacity Building in EU’s Outermost Regions” counted with two invited guest speakers:
    • Introduction to Entrepreneurial Dynamics and Social-Economic Impacts in ORs (Miguel Amaral)
    • Requirements for Resilient Innovation Ecosystems in ORs (Oliver Schwabe)

After intense meetings during these three days, the INCORE consortium reviewed the past and current progress of the tasks, and aligned the work plan for the upcoming months. In addition, it was an opportunity to develop team building activities, and strengthen the partnership within the project.

Follow the project on the website and social media!