The representatives of the Directorate of Water Resources and Energy of the Kingdom of Norway visited GTU

Michael Steinfeld, head of the international sector of the management and legal department of the Directorate of Water Resources and Energy of the Kingdom of Norway, and his assistant Johanne Eriksen were on a working visit to the Georgian Technical University.

Within the framework of the visit, Michael Steinfeld and Johanne Eriksen met the head of the Department of International Relations of the Georgian Technical University, Devi Khvedeliani, as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Energy, Lena Shatakishvili, the Deputy Dean for Scientific and International Relations, Vakhtang Gvishiani, and the faculty professors: Grigol Khelidze and Giorgi Gigineishvili.

According to the Head of the International Relations Department of GTU, Devi Khvedeliani, the visit of representatives of the international sector of the Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy and Legal Department to the university is connected with the project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway, the purpose of which is to promote studies in Norway for GTU students in the field of hydropower.

Cooperation between the Directorate of Water Resources and Energy of the Kingdom of Norway and Georgia began on July 3, 2013, when a tripartite memorandum of mutual understanding was signed between the Ministry of Energy of Georgia, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia and the Directorate of Water Resources and Energy of Norway.

The memorandum involves the assessment of the energy potential of the Georgian rivers and the creation of a website based on the received data.

Within the framework of the project, the data obtained as a result of hydrological and meteorological observations accumulated over many decades were converted into digital format, errors were corrected and missing information was filled.

Based on the processing and analysis of the received results, the priority of potential hydroelectric power stations was identified, considering the necessary costs for the river runoff and construction.

Based on the GIS system, a digital map of the rivers in the territory of Georgia was created, on which the information about the estimated data of the potential hydropower plants is written: coordinates, capacity, output, the amount of investment required for construction, and others, which will simplify the process of selecting the desired project for investors. The project was completed successfully, which became the basis for staff development and a new project initiation with the Norwegian Directorate of Water Resources and Energy. At the meeting, we expressed our desire to continue cooperation in the future”, said Devi Khvedeliani.

According to the dean of the Faculty of Energy of GTU, 8 students of the Faculty of Energy have benefited from the project of the Kingdom of Norway since 2018.

Within the framework of the project, a master’s program in the field of hydroengineering was developed for graduates of the GTU.

Four Georgian students are studying the program and will finish their studies in 2024. We also have students who successfully graduated from the two-year program and returned to Georgia. In addition, with the help of the Directorate, the draft law on renewable energies was successfully developed.

“Michael Steinfeld and Johanne Eriksen visited all the agencies involved in the project, including the Georgian Technical University. It is worth noting that the program, the sharing of Norway’s experience, had a positive impact on the energy sector of the country, on raising the knowledge of students, and on the process of developing them into qualified specialists. We expressed our readiness in the involvement and implementation of similar programs in the future”, said Lena Shatakishvili.