Over the last fifteen years, Paolo Bona has held the position of Technical Director in Geothermal Surface Exploration and Drilling Projects for different companies and provided technical advisory to international organizations, such as: The World Bank, UN-ECLAC, CAF and the IDB. He is a geologist with over 30 years of activity in geothermal exploration and development projects in several countries. Based in Managua, Nicaragua, since 1993, he has spent a significant part of his professional career in Latin America, developing an in-depth and broad knowledge of technical, institutional, regulatory, environmental, social and financial aspects of geothermal projects in Central and South American countries.  

Paolo Bona is experienced in geological, geochemical, geophysical and geo-structural investigations, well-site geology, hydrothermal mineralogy, modeling and assessment of geothermal resources through integrated interpretation of surface exploration and drilling data. He also has expertise in regulatory and environmental compliance, project planning, cost estimate and financing issues of geothermal exploration and development programs. Subordinate experience in other sectors, such as: mineral exploration, environmental assessment, hydrogeology and engineering geology. Other skills include good knowledge of power generation systems, renewable energy sources, and climate change challenges with associated global issues.

Daniela Blessent studied Environmental Engineering at the Politecnico di Torino (Italy). She obtained a PhD in Earth Sciences at Université Laval (Quebec, Canada), with a study focused on numerical modeling of fractured geological media. She has worked as a professor at Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal between 2010 and 2012 and since 2013 she is a professor at the Universidad de Medellin, in the Environmental Engineering program, where she has been leading the Geothermal Research Group awarded in 2020 as the best research program of the university. She is also leader of the IGCP636 project “Geothermal resources for energy transition”, which is a research network of the UNESCO International Geoscience Programme. Since January 2020, she is the president of the Colombian Geothermal Association (AGEOCOL).

Professor of Geological Engineering

Earth and Environmental Sciences Dept., University of Waterloo, Waterloo ON, CANADA

Grant Wach began his career advising worldwide for multinational companies. He still works with the energy sector but now as Professor of Geoscience at Dalhousie University he serves as a mentor, helping students become successful geoscientists. Wach’s research goal is to understand the reservoir component of CCUS and Geothermal systems; understanding the internal complexity of the reservoir is not easy but part of the path to Energy Sustainability, and Carbon Neutrality. These steps are part of the Energy Transition the World is now undergoing.

Professor Wach is an expert advisor to the Energy Sustainability Committee of the UNECE. The committee just released their technology brief on CCUS CCUS brochure_EN_final.pdf (unece.org). He has advised the Nova Scotia government on Carbon Storage and Sequestration and completed the first evaluation of basins in the Maritimes for Carbon Storage. He was principal Investigator of the Gas Seepage Project (GaSP) evaluating methane (CH4) emissions from coal and oil and gas extraction sites in Atlantic Canada. Wach is a member of Geothermal Canada, and has recently presented invited lectures on Geothermal Technology in Canada (Future Pathways- Geothermal Technology 2020) and at KAUST in Saudi Arabia.

Professor Wach completed his doctorate in Geology at the University of Oxford (D.Phil. Geology). He was the first recipient of the AAPG Foundation Professor of the Year Award in 2012 and received the CSPG Stanley Slipper Gold Medal 2018 for outstanding contributions to exploration and development, teaching and mentorship.

Valle de Nereidas EPM – CHEC Geothermal Project

Geologist from the University of Caldas with a specialization in Environmental Management from the Andean Area University, he has been linked to the geothermal project of the Valle de Nereidas EPM-CHEC since 2006 as director of the geothermal team since 2012 in charge of the project management from surface geothermal exploration work to pre-feasibility evaluation of its resource and development work on the use of the resource; I have participated in different training spaces with the United Nations University at the Shorth Courses level, internships in Lageo - El Salvador, ICE - Costa Rica and CFC - Mexico and multiple geothermal sector spaces worldwide.

Currently he works with the Colombian geothermal association AGEOCOL where he serves on the board of directors as Vice President.