Geothermal power in Iceland

Iceland's uniquely active geology has led to natural conditions especially suitable for harnessing geothermal energy.

[2] 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.

[2] With a mix of seawater and discharge freshwater from the nearby Svartsengi Power Station, the Blue Lagoon is 5,000 square meters in size and is Iceland's most popular tourist attraction.

[8] Iceland's power was largely derived from fossil fuels until the 1970s, when the national government looked to address energy price inequities across the country.

[8] The crisis sparked Iceland's government to ramp up adoption of the domestic power sources identified by the National Energy Authority's report.

[3] Since then, in addition to increasing Iceland's energy independence, it has also resulted in the widespread decarbonization of the country's electric grid.

[3] Iceland's government policies strongly encourage the usage of renewable energy resources in power production.

[7] 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 (UNEP) in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda.

In Iceland's capital Reykjavík, hot water from 100° to 300°C is used to heat homes, then piped into plastic tubing underneath streets and sidewalks at 30 °C (86 °F) to melt snow and ice.

[23][24] Research conducted by the University of Iceland in 2012 found that weather events favorable for H2S 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.

[25][26] By drilling more than 15,000 feet (4.5 km) deep into the volcanic fields in Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, researchers are hoping to investigate the use of supercritical fluids for harnessing geothermal energy.

[26] If achieved, projects like IDDP will allow a greater portion of Iceland's electricity to be generated by geothermal means.