Dr. Jacques VARET

Jacques VARET

Consultant: Geological Resources for Sustainable Development (SARL Géo2D)

45 years experience in France, Italy, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, China, Indonesia, West Indies, Azores, Reunion, Thailand, Central America, USA, Iceland, Mid Oceanic Ridges. 

Born in Lyon, France 20/03/1944; PhD thesis, 1

Jacques Varet is  the current President of SARL Geo2D (a consulting company specialized  in geological resources for sustainable development) .The company works for several French companies such as ( ALCEN group, ELECTERRE de France, AFD, CLEMESSY, ENERTIME, IMERYS, BOORTMALT (Axereal group), MERIDIAM) , and various other clients in both Europe and other parts of the world eg (Tuscany Region, European Union, UNEP (Kenya), UNDP (Djibouti) ,kenya and Ethiopia).Futhermore he is an  associate professor at the Nyeri Technological University (Kenya), he was incharge and co-directed the regional geopower Africa small geothermal exploration programme with USAID funding (Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania)between the years 2014-2017. He is the president  of the Steering Committee on the Energy-Climate Program and  member of the Steering Committee for Research, Innovation and Technology (CORIT) in center region of France, Committee for Prevention and Precaution ( CPP), as well as  the member of the Expert Committee of the DEEPEGS European Geothermal Research Program and last but not least memberof the Technical Adisory Team (TAT) of the Geothermal Center of Excellence in Africa.

PhD Thesis, 1967, State thesis 1973, Paris-South University; 

First L.R.Wager Prize award for volcanological research from IAVCEI & Royal Society (with Franco Barberi), 1971

Basic research in: Volcanology, Petrology, Mineralogy, Tectonics, Geodynamics, magma geochemistry, especially rift systems.

Engineering for geothermal energy; management of R&D and engineering teams, from initial resources assessment to feasibility studies, governance capacity building, geothermal field exploration, assessment, delineation and production, power plants and systems design, environmental and social studies, including all aspects of sustainable management issues.

A special knowledge of the geology of the Afar triangle and Eastern Africa Rift (EAR) Valley (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Tanzania), concerning geological mapping, petrology, volcanology, tectonic setting, hydrogeology, geothermal and mineral resources. 

1966-1976: Assistant professor at Paris South University (Orsay, France) and Addis-Ababa (Ethiopia); 

CNRS research team leader (Afar & EAR)

1976-1986: Head of Geothermal Dt., Director for Energy, BRGM, president-fondateur CFG (Compagnie Française de Géothermie)

1986-1996: Counselor for Science and Technology, French Embassy, Beijing China; director for Energy, French Ministry of research and Technology, Director Institut Français de l’Environnement, director for research and econolic affairs, Minstry of Environment Paris

1996-2013: Director, French Geological Survey; President Eurogeosurveys; Foresight & Strategy 

Director BRGM, Advisor to the CEO.

2012 to date: CEO of Géo2D; Associate Professor at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology (DeKUT), Kenya.

Member of the board or president of various entities in the field of geothermal energy (CTGA Italy, Electerre de France, CFG France...), geo-scientific education (ENAG, CESMAT...), social development (eg “Geothermal Village” Concept and site surveys in EAR) and environmental policies (PNC, CPP, FFEM, association 4D...). 

Languages: French, English, Italian, German, basic Chinese and Amharic.