European Geological Data Infrastructure


The European Geological Data Infrastructure, EGDI, provides access to geological data and services from Geological Survey Organisations across Europe. It brings European and national information together within a shared digital environment.

For CO2SITE, EGDI is both the digital foundation for the Atlas and the route through which approved Atlas data, tools and user functions will become available as they are released.

Making geological information easier to find and understand

Geological information is often distributed across national portals, project websites and specialist databases. Even where information is publicly available, users may find it difficult to:
  • locate the most relevant source;
  • understand what the data represent;
  • identify the geographic coverage;
  • assess the level of detail or uncertainty;
  • compare data from different countries.
EGDI supports access to information through data services, metadata catalogues, search functions and map-viewing tools.
Metadata play an important role by describing the content, origin, scope, maintenance, quality and conditions of use of a dataset or service. This enables users to interpret information more carefully before using it to assess or compare potential storage sites.

The relationship with GSEU

GSEU improves the availability and searchability of information about sustainable geoenergy through EGDI. Its work covers national and international datasets, metadata, thematic services and search functionality.
Sustainable geoenergy includes subjects such as:
  • geothermal energy;
  • thermal energy storage;
  • underground hydrogen storage;
  • geological CO₂ storage.
This provides CO2SITE with an existing technical and organisational basis on which to develop specialised CO₂ storage Atlas functionality.

How CO2SITE builds on EGDI

CO2SITE builds on the GSEU CO₂ storage potential map and the EGDI-based database. It will expand the existing baseline through additional data, harmonised methods and analytical modules focused on storage investability.
EGDI is therefore more than a map viewer for CO2SITE. It is the shared infrastructure through which European geological information can remain findable, connected and reusable, and through which released CO2SITE functionality will be accessed.