Geothermal power
Geothermal power is electrical power generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power stations, flash steam power stations and binary cycle power stations. Geothermal electricity generation is currently used in 2 ...
in
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
refers to the use of
geothermal energy in
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
for
electricity generation
Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. For electric utility, utilities in the electric power industry, it is the stage prior to its Electricity delivery, delivery (Electric power transmi ...
.
Iceland’s uniquely active
geology
Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Ear ...
has led to natural conditions especially suitable for harnessing geothermal energy.
Icelanders have long used geothermal energy for direct applications, such as heating homes and baths.
The more recent, widespread adoption of geothermal energy as an
energy source
Energy development is the field of activities focused on obtaining sources of energy from natural resources. These activities include production of renewable, nuclear, and fossil fuel derived sources of energy, and for the recovery and reuse ...
in Iceland was spawned by a need to stabilize energy prices and increase
energy independence
Energy independence is independence or autarky regarding energy resources, energy supply and/or energy generation by the energy industry.
Energy dependence, in general, refers to mankind's general dependence on either primary or secondary ene ...
, allowing Iceland to increase reliance on geothermal energy for direct applications alongside electricity generation and contributing significantly to diminishing Iceland’s
carbon footprint
A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an individual, event, organization, service, place or product, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Greenhouse gases, including the carbon-containing gases carbo ...
.
The growth of geothermal power in Iceland is due to its continued support from the
Icelandic government
The politics of Iceland take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the president is the head of state, while the prime minister of Iceland serves as the head of government in a multi-party syste ...
.
As of 2020, Iceland’s installed geothermal power production capacity is 799
megawatts
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wat ...
(MW).
Geothermal energy produces over a quarter of Iceland’s total electricity.
Geology
![Outline of Iceland Deformation Zones](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Outline_of_Iceland_Deformation_Zones.svg)
Iceland’s territory is some of the most geologically active on Earth.
The country straddles the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a mid-ocean ridge (a divergent or constructive plate boundary) located along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, and part of the longest mountain range in the world. In the North Atlantic, the ridge separates the North Ame ...
(a
rift
In geology, a rift is a linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart and is an example of extensional tectonics.
Typical rift features are a central linear downfaulted depression, called a graben, or more commonly a half-grabe ...
between
continental plates
Plate tectonics (from the la, label=Late Latin, tectonicus, from the grc, τεκτονικός, lit=pertaining to building) is the generally accepted scientific theory that considers the Earth's lithosphere to comprise a number of large ...
), and lies over a
volcanic hotspot.
This combination of factors has led to pronounced
volcanism
Volcanism, vulcanism or volcanicity is the phenomenon of eruption of molten rock (magma) onto the surface of the Earth or a solid-surface planet or moon, where lava, pyroclastics, and volcanic gases erupt through a break in the surface called ...
and geothermal activity.
Furthermore, the island also possesses
underground water reservoirs continually replenished by rain.
Magma
Magma () is the molten or semi-molten natural material from which all igneous rocks are formed. Magma is found beneath the surface of the Earth, and evidence of magmatism has also been discovered on other terrestrial planets and some natural sa ...
underneath the island heats these reservoirs to hundreds of degrees
Fahrenheit
The Fahrenheit scale () is a temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by the physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736). It uses the degree Fahrenheit (symbol: °F) as the unit. Several accounts of how he originally defined his ...
.
At least 25 such geothermal aquifers lie within the volcanic zone.
These natural conditions in Iceland are favorable for geothermal power production.
History
Geothermal energy in Iceland
![Laugardalslaug](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Laugardalslaug.JPG)
Geothermal energy has been employed by Icelanders since the
Viking Age
The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Ger ...
, with initial uses including washing and bathing.
Later, it began to be used to heat homes, greenhouses, and swimming pools, as well as to keep streets and sidewalks free of snow and ice.
Today, at least 90% of all homes in Iceland are heated with geothermal energy.
The
Blue Lagoon is a prominent example of a geothermal bath.
With a mix of seawater and discharge freshwater from the nearby
Svartsengi Power Station
The Svartsengi Power Station (''Svartsengi'' (); "black meadow" in Icelandic) is a geothermal power plant, which is located in the Svartsengi geothermal field, about four km north of Grindavík, approximately 20 km SE of Keflavík Internat ...
, the Blue Lagoon is 5,000 square meters in size and is Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction.
While geothermal energy has had many uses in Iceland throughout history, its use there for electricity generation did not come until relatively recently.
Iceland’s power was largely derived from
fossil fuels
A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals that is extracted and burned as a fuel. The main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels ...
until the 1970s, when the national government looked to address energy price inequities across the country.
A report commissioned in 1970 by the country’s National Energy Authority, Orkustofnun, recommended increased domestic production of geothermal power and
hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other Renewabl ...
to stabilize energy prices and reduce the nation’s reliance on external energy resources.
In 1973, an international
energy crisis
An energy crisis or energy shortage is any significant bottleneck in the supply of energy resources to an economy. In literature, it often refers to one of the energy sources used at a certain time and place, in particular, those that supply n ...
began, subjecting Iceland to highly volatile oil prices and an uncertain energy market.
The crisis sparked Iceland’s government to ramp up adoption of the domestic power sources identified by the National Energy Authority’s report.
The ensuing rapid growth of renewable energy production mostly originated from a geopolitical desire for energy independence and was catalyzed by the urgent economic constraints during the 1970s energy crisis.
Since then, in addition to increasing Iceland’s energy independence, it has also resulted in the widespread decarbonization of the country’s electric grid.
Government policy
![Pipeline_from_Nesjavellir_Geothermal_Power_Plant_to_Reykjavik_-_panoramio](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Pipeline_from_Nesjavellir_Geothermal_Power_Plant_to_Reykjavik_-_panoramio.jpg)
Iceland’s government policies strongly encourage the usage of renewable energy resources in power production. These policies stem from energy issues that the country had faced in years past; in the 1970s, for example, Iceland’s government responded to increasing oil prices by replacing oil with geothermal energy in
district heating
District heating (also known as heat networks or teleheating) is a system for distributing heat generated in a centralized location through a system of insulated pipes for residential and commercial heating requirements such as space heating a ...
.
As a result, the cost of heating was decreased significantly, and compared to most other countries, was much lower.
As progress continued on geothermal energy projects and investments, the National Energy Authority laid out their master plan to implement the use of geothermal energy in two phases.
The first phase was conducted during 1999–2003, which primarily focused on data gathering.
The second phase was conducted during 2004–2009, where the first half of those years was spent on further research and the second half spent on evaluating geothermal fields.
A total of 24 potential geothermal projects were considered under the master plan.
Today, many of these projects are still under consideration by the
Icelandic Parliament
The Alþingi (''general meeting'' in Icelandic, , anglicised as ' or ') is the supreme national parliament of Iceland. It is one of the oldest surviving parliaments in the world. The Althing was founded in 930 at ("thing fields" or "assembl ...
.
The government still faces issues with providing all households with accessibility to geothermal power, as there remain villages and rural areas that lack geothermal heating infrastructure.
To combat this issue, Iceland’s government is continuously engaging in exploration activities for the villages and rural areas to explore possible locations for geothermal energy infrastructure. In 2019, the construction of a 20-km hot water transmission pipeline from a geothermal field to the town of
Höfn
Höfn () or Höfn í Hornafirði () is an Icelandic fishing town in the southeastern part of the country. It lies near Hornafjörður fjord.
The town, the second largest in the southeastern part of Iceland, offers scenic views of Vatnajökull (t ...
was constructed to replace electricity as their source of heating for 1,800 people.
Iceland’s government has also put effort into foreign policies and investments that encourage other nations to harness renewable energy such as geothermal power. One of Iceland’s foreign efforts is the African Rift Geothermal Development Facility Project, which began in 2010, and is performed in partnership with the
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on th ...
(UNEP) in countries such as
Ethiopia
Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...
,
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
and
Rwanda
Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...
.
Iceland has also helped train geothermal engineers from around the world through the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme.
Consumption
As Iceland is situated in a highly geothermal location, 70.38% of total energy used in the country comes from geothermal sources as of 2020.
This means 173.2
petajoules (PJ) of the total 246.1 PJ of primary energy used by Iceland in 2020 is from a geothermal source.
The geothermal energy is then used in two main ways: direct application and indirectly via electricity generation.
Direct applications
Most geothermal energy in Iceland is used for heating activities.
As of 2020, the primary use of geothermal heat is space heating (23,094
terajoules ">J, followed by heated swimming pools (3,628 TJ), snow melting (2,036 TJ), fish farming (1,404 TJ), greenhouses (429 TJ), and industry usage (393 TJ). As these uses are reliant solely on geothermal heat, they do not result in the energy losses that come with generating electricity. Instead, many of these direct applications use water as the means of transmission. In Iceland's capital
Reykjavík
Reykjavík ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói bay. Its latitude is 64°08' N, making it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. With a po ...
, hot water from 100° to 300°C is used to heat homes, then piped into plastic tubing underneath streets and sidewalks at 30°C to melt snow and ice.
Electricity generation
Iceland has recently been self-sufficient in producing electricity, consistently meeting or exceeding electricity demand in the country mainly through geothermal and hydropower generation.
In 2020, 99.94% of electricity in Iceland was produced by hydro and geothermal means, with 13,157 and 5,961
gigawatt hours (GWh) produced respectively.
Geothermal energy accounts for over a quarter of Iceland’s electric power production.
However, after the droughts in the summer season of 2021, low reservoir levels for
hydropower
Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, converting the Pot ...
generation along with increasing electricity demand in the nation led to an electricity supply crunch.
To suppress electricity demand, the Icelandic government had to cut back electricity from certain industries.
This supply crunch caused by fluctuations in hydropower generation has Iceland considering the expansion of power generation infrastructure.
Electricity production infrastructure
According to the National Energy Authority of Iceland, in 2020, Iceland’s geothermal facilities had in total an
installed capacity
Nameplate capacity, also known as the rated capacity, nominal capacity, installed capacity, or maximum effect, is the intended full-load sustained output of a facility such as a power station, of 799
MWe, making up 25.9% of all power capacity in Iceland, besides hydropower,
wind
Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hou ...
, and fossil fuels.
![Krafla power plant - Kröflustöð - alternative](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Krafla_power_plant_-_Kr%C3%B6flust%C3%B6%C3%B0_-_alternative.jpg)
According to Askja Energy Partners, an energy consulting firm in Iceland, the three entities that own and operate the largest geothermal power stations in Iceland are
HS Orka
Alterra Power Corp. a subsidiary of Innergex Renewable Energy Inc., is a diversified renewable power generation company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was formed in 2011 through the merger of Magma Energy Corp. and Plutonic P ...
,
ON Power, and
Landsvirkjun
Landsvirkjun, () the National Power Company of Iceland, is Iceland's largest electricity generator. Landsvirkjun operates 18 power plants in Iceland concentrated on five main areas of operation.
History
Landsvirkjun was founded on 1 July 1965 b ...
(National Power Company of Iceland).
The following are nine power plants that contribute the most to Iceland's geothermal power production capacity; the ownership of each geothermal power plant is also noted:
In Reykjavík,
hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The unde ...
(H
2S) emitted from two nearby geothermal power plants, Hellisheiði and Nesjavellir, may have impacted residents' health.
Research conducted by the
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland ( is, Háskóli Íslands ) is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' s ...
in 2012 found that weather events favorable for H
2S concentrations in Reykjavík greater than the national 24-hour health limit of 50
μg m
-3 can be expected to occur twice a year on average.
Iceland is also investing in geothermal energy research projects like the
Iceland Deep Drilling Project
The Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) is a geothermal project established in 2000 by a consortium of the National Energy Authority of Iceland (Orkustofnun/OS) and four of Iceland's leading energy companies: Hitaveita Sudurnesja (HS), Landsvir ...
(IDDP).
If successful, the technology being developed by IDDP could produce ten times more power than current geothermal power technology.
By drilling more than 15,000 feet (4.5 km) deep into the volcanic fields in Iceland's
Reykjanes Peninsula
Southern Peninsula ( is, Suðurnes ) is an administrative unit and part of Reykjanesskagi (pronounced ), or Reykjanes Peninsula, a region in southwest Iceland. It was named after Reykjanes, the southwestern tip of Reykjanesskagi.
The region ha ...
, researchers are hoping to investigate the use of
supercritical fluids for harnessing geothermal energy.
If achieved, projects like IDDP will allow a greater portion of Iceland's electricity to be generated by geothermal means.
See also
*
Energy in Iceland
Iceland is a world leader in renewable energy. 100% of Iceland's electricity grid is produced from renewable resources. In terms of total energy supply, 85% of the total primary energy supply in Iceland is derived from domestically produced rene ...
*
List of power stations in Iceland
The following page lists all power stations in Iceland. Nearly all of Iceland's electricity (>99%) is generated from renewables (mainly hydroelectric dams and geothermal). The islands of Grimsey and Flatey rely on diesel as they are not c ...
*
The Geothermal Energy Exhibition
*
Iceland Deep Drilling Project
The Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) is a geothermal project established in 2000 by a consortium of the National Energy Authority of Iceland (Orkustofnun/OS) and four of Iceland's leading energy companies: Hitaveita Sudurnesja (HS), Landsvir ...
*
Renewable energy by country
This is a list of renewable energy topics by country and territory. These links can be used to compare developments in renewable energy in different countries and territories and to help and encourage new writers to participate in writing about ...
References
External links
Iceland Energy AuthorityIcelandic Energy PortalMore information about Hellisheidi power plantMore information about Nesjavellir power plantMore information about Krafla power-plantTiroler BiMannvit Engineering of Iceland RES - School for Renewable Energy Science in IcelandIcelandic GeoSurvey
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