New Director of GRÓ GTP
On 1 July 2024, Bjarni Richter took over from Gudni Axelsson, as director of GRÓ GTP. Gudni has served in the position since 1 January 2020, when he took over from Lúdvík Georgsson. Gudni will continue to work for the GTP as a staff member, teacher, and supervisor, as well as being more involved in some reservoir projects at ÍSOR.
Bjarni is a geologist and borehole geologist by training. He has more than 25 years of geothermal experience. He graduated as a geologist from the University in Copenhagen with a Cand Scient degree (MS degree) in 1998 and started working for Orkustofnun - the National Energy Authority, research division, in Iceland the same year, focusing mainly on geothermal geology, borehole geology and exploration. He has also worked on marine geology, mostly regarding Law of the Sea studies and hydrocarbon research offshore NE-Iceland.
Bjarni has been working at ÍSOR since its establishment in 2003, first as a geologist, borehole geologist on geothermal exploration. Few years later, he became a part of the management team of ÍSOR, and has also been acting as Chief Project Manager. Bjarni has been responsible for many of the international projects at ÍSOR as Project Manager as well as being Head of Marketing and Business Development at ÍSOR over the last few years.
Overall, Bjarni is a geothermal expert and consultant with broad practical experience in geothermal surface- and subsurface exploration as well as having good knowledge on technical aspects of drilling, well design and drilling programs. He has experience in conceptual geothermal modelling, resource assessment of both high and low temperature resources, also practical experience in planning and carrying out field surveys and drilling campaigns as well as overall knowledge on geothermal development. He has worked on numerous geothermal projects around the world, in Europe, North, Central and South Americas, Asia and Africa. His expertise and background will surely be put to good use in his new position as the director of the long-running GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme. Apart from geothermal research, Bjarni likes to go golfing in summertime and skiing during winter. He also likes travelling with his family, cycling, science fiction literature and Palaeontology.
We welcome Bjarni onboard the GTP and look forward to working with him in the future.