The Hannover Geocenter celebrates its 75th anniversary.
“We are a pioneer on the path toward becoming a fully digital authority,” said Carsten Mühlenmeier, President of the State Office for Mining, Energy and Geology (LBEG), at the opening of the 75th anniversary celebrations at the Geozentrum Hannover. “All of our communication is digital: drilling notifications, evaluations, maps, models – everything is digital.” One of the cornerstones of this development is the Lower Saxony Soil Information System (NIBIS), which is also celebrating its 40th anniversary. The system, whose most well-known online tool is the NIBIS® map server, is, according to Mühlenmeier, “our digital gateway to the geological world.”
The Office for Soil Research was founded in Hannover in 1950. In 1958, it became the Lower Saxony State Office for Soil Research (NLfB), and in 2006, following a merger with the State Mining Office, it evolved into today’s LBEG. However, the core mission has remained unchanged since the geological state services began systematically mapping the subsurface in 1873 with the Royal Prussian Geological Survey: the geological survey of the land using reliable subsurface maps, which today are publicly available in digital format, often as modern three-dimensional models, continues to shape the agency’s work. In addition, practical issues have emerged, such as raw material exploration, foundation soil analysis, groundwater, flood protection, peatland drainage, and agricultural soil science.
“Our service has always been applied geoscience,” summarised agency head Mühlenmeier. Environment Minister Christian Meyer expressed it somewhat differently: “You are pioneers in the digitalization of soil data.” This is particularly important for the analysis of climate data, for the protection of peatlands, and for the promotion of renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy.
Matthias Wunderling-Weilbier, State Secretary at the Lower Saxony Ministry for Economic Affairs, to which the LBEG is affiliated, stated: “There is no other authority in Lower Saxony – and probably not nationwide – that has implemented digitalization to this extent. Modern 3D models, geographic information systems, and remote sensing technologies now make it possible to capture and analyze the subsurface with even greater precision. These innovations help to identify risks at an early stage, use resources efficiently, and minimize environmental impacts.”
LBEG’s expertise is also highly valued in the field of agriculture: “You are a compass for the soil and the subsurface,” said Lower Saxony’s Minister of Agriculture, Miriam Staudte. She emphasized LBEG’s work, for example in the agricultural use of peatland areas, in the analysis of nutrient inputs into the soil, and in developing expert frameworks for implementing agricultural policy measures: “With your data, we can find practical solutions.”
