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The Expanded Reference Work on the Geology of the Netherlands Presented
This week, the three main authors of the revised version of the book Geology of the Netherlands—Johan ten Veen, Jan de Jager, and Geert-Jan Vis—presented their work at the Energy Cave in Rijswijk. The presentation was attended by 130 people, including sponsors, co-authors, and other stakeholders.
The program started with congratulations from Tirza van Dalen, Director of the Geological Survey of the Netherlands (“Geologische Dienst Nederland” or “GDN”), after which the authors discussed their book. They highlighted that our understanding of deeper geological layers has significantly increased since the previous publication. Additionally, societal needs have shifted. The focus used to be on the extraction of raw materials, but now there is a greater emphasis on renewable resources and energy sources. This shift made the revised edition necessary.
Notably, the new edition of Geology of the Netherlands was written by nearly 90 authors and expanded from 350 to an impressive 900 pages. The book now offers in-depth insights into new geological discoveries, such as CO2 storage and geothermal energy extraction. Furthermore, significant graphical improvements were made to enhance accessibility.
The book is open access, meaning it is available at no cost to everyone, including high school students. This increases its impact, especially for the next generation of geologists and scientists.
After the opening of the day, copies of the book were handed over to the family members of three deceased authors: Theo Wong, Richard Huis in ’t Veld, and Wim Sissing. Copies were then given to the sponsors of the book.
The day concluded with a panel discussion led by Yvonne Schavemaker, Research Manager of Hydrology and Engineering at TNO GDN. The panel members explored the importance of geological knowledge for the energy transition. Experts such as Yolande Verbeek (EBN), Michiel van der Meulen (Head of Geology at TNO GDN), Anne Pluymakers (TU Delft), and Ruud Cino (Ministry of Climate and Green Growth) contributed to the discussion.
The discussion highlighted the crucial role of geological knowledge in addressing the challenges of the energy transition. Panelists also discussed the declining number of students entering geology, despite the growing demand for geologists in the job market. The members of the panel agreed that the field needs more visibility, for example, in schools, and that geological knowledge must be shared more accessibly
to increase its societal impact.
