Today we have interviewed Taurimas Valys, who is a team leader of this Project at Vilnius University Business School and is responsible for business analysis of the wholeunderground laboratories (UL) network.
In your opinion, what is the biggest value of Baltic Sea Underground Innovation Network (BSUIN) project?
Taurimas Valys: I am sure that in general this Project is generating several advantages for its partner-countries, particular regions and even entire local businesses which have been linked with the underground facilities and (or) related researches (UL installed in former mines). First of all, one of the core goals of this Project is to develop a service offering of Baltic Sea Region’s underground laboratories in order to develop their capability to offer technology transfer utilizing the facilities and research infrastructures of the ULs for business development. By implementing this aim, particular outcomes will be generated. One of the added values planned to be generated at BSUIN project is that after the overall general business analysis it will be possible to emphasize the core potential directions for the ULs further development alternatives. While generating the outcomes of the Project there is a plan to promote additional (alternative) activities in these regions. For example, some of these laboratories (ULs) and related environment is located almost 1500 meters underground. In some of them the underground tunnels consists of around 150 kilometers of high quality infrastructure with stable temperature all around the year. It can be used for different purposes such as fish/shrimp breeding, farming, saving virtual data, disposal of nuclear waste, tourism and much more. Apart from the scientific research, the ULs can provide unique environments for various businesses, such as developing technology for mining and tunnel construction equipment or radiation shielding ULs can be sites for production, which is a new and growing field especially in the production of thermal energy or facilitating food production.
“The core goal of this Project is to develop a service offering of Baltic Sea Region’s underground laboratories”
It must be noticed that 6 ULs are involved in the BSUIN project: Callio Lab, Pyhäsalmi mine, Finland; Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Oskarshamn, Sweden; Reiche Zeche, TU Freiberg Research and Education mine, Germany; Conceptual Lab development co-ordinated by KGHM Cuprum R&D centre, Poland; Khlopin Institute Underground Laboratory, Russia; Ruskeala, Russia. Above all, this project aims to create a strong regional cluster, which will be vital, efficient, and attractive for investors and end-users. We have an ambition to create a very attractive platform, which will be competitive in international level. This will help to boost Baltic Sea Region into another economic level and it will attract foreign investors, encourage regional business cooperation (synergies between international market players) and sustainable development of SMEs in particular provinces.
