Iceland & Geothermal Energy

Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which is an extremely geologically active area with around 200 volcanoes, 30 of them active. About 600 hot springs are found in Iceland and over 250 separate low temperature geothermal fields of temperatures less than180°C and 26 high temperature fields of temperatures greater than 180 °C. These are all connected to the country’s geologically active system of volcanoes, active faults and fractures.

Geothermal energy has played an important role in the lives of the Icelandic people throughout the centuries and there is evidence that the geothermal hot springs were utilized as early as 980AD for bathing and washing.

Today, geothermal energy is used for countless swimming pools across the country, greenhouse agriculture, fish farming and snow melting. However the predominant use is space heating, with 90% of all houses in Iceland being heated geothermically. The second largest area of use is electricity production. Geothermal energy therefore plays a key role in the Icelandic economy.

By far the lion’s share of Iceland’s geothermal energy is used for heating - some 60%, while electricity production accounts for just 20%. As at mid-2007 there were five major geothermal plants, producing approximately 18% of the country's electricity. With 82% of the nation's electricity production created by hydro power plants, Iceland is in the unique position of generating more than 99% of its electricity from sustainable resources.

The five major geothermal power plants are:

• The Nesjavellir Power-Plant, situated in the south of the country: installed capacity of 120 MWe and 290 MWth.
• The Reykjanes Power-Plant, situated in the south-west of the country: installed capacity of 100 MWe.
• The Hellisheiði Power-Plant, in the south of the country, close to the Nesjavellir Power-Plant, is still under construction but is partially functioning and was officially opened on 21 October, 2006. It currently has an installed capacity of 90 Mwe. A total installed capacity of 250 MWe and 400 MWth by 2009.
• The Krafla Power-Plant, situated in the north-east of Iceland: installed capacity of 60 MWe, with expansion to 90 MWe planned.
• The Svartsengi Power-Plant, situated in the south-west of the country, currently with an installed capacity of 46.4 MWe and 150 MWth, but with expansion to 77 MWe planned by 2008.