Taking advantage of the geothermal energy potential in Iceland, the land of fire and ice is setting up new records. Today Iceland not only satisfies its own energy needs but also sets an example towards others and by doing this it successfully taps into the inexhaustible power under its crust. This article reflects the latest developments of geothermal projects in the Island nation of Iceland and the outcome of these transformational projects.

Hellisheidi power plant: A colossal again turning magma into electrical energy and heat

The geothermal power plant at Hellisheidi Mountain near Mount Hengill is currently among the largest geothermal power stations globally. It has an electrical generating capacity of 303MW and thermal generating capacity of 400MW which signifies Iceland’s stance on the use of renewable resources. From its establishment between 2006 and 2011, the company has made significant contributions to the implementation of sustainable energy.

The origin of the plant dates back to early 2002 when Orkuveita Reykjavíkur realized that Iceland could be a rich source of geothermal energy. Over the years the site grew larger and by 2010 the site had become a fully functional geothermal power plant hence exerting some structural and environmental influence. It comprises six high-pressure turbines and one low-pressure steam turbine with water and steam from 44 generation wells of geothermal fluid.

Orca carbon capture project: Purging the environment with Geothermal power

CCS is a project that is unique and challenging; in September the Orca CCS project was launched in the Hellisheidi plant. Orca, the largest direct air capture plant globally, works using geo-energy from Hellisheidi. This revolutionary scheme pulls carbon dioxide from the air, combines it with water and pumps the resulting substance into the ground wherein it becomes encased in solid stone where it will be unable to escape.

Orca, the Dutch-based start-up company’s concept is compact and based on a modular structure with eight collector units with an annual capture capacity of 500 tonnes of CO₂. This process simply is revolutionary as it not only seizes carbon but also stores it permanently in the atmosphere. The annual capture capacity of Orca is 36000 tonnes of CO₂ which proves how geothermal can co-exist with carbon management solutions.

Iceland’s resource park: Building up a circular economy based on geothermal energy

Although Icelanders’ exploitation of geothermal energy only begins with electricity generation. It has complemented nature and pioneered the circular economy using geothermal energy resources with emanations. One example is HS Orka’s Resource Park in which many businesses take the flow of resources such as CO₂ from geothermal power plants, hot water and electricity from the same source.

The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, which is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Iceland is based on the seawater that is already in use for direct use for heating and electric power supply. Other companies include aquaculture business, biotech business, cosmetics business and e-fuels business among others all for which these resources are valuable. This model not only fully explores the geothermal resource but also promotes creativity and sustainability, encouraging others to do the same globally.

Scaling up the geothermal model: What is going wrong when Iceland is exporting its expertise

Since Iceland has shown substantial success in implementing geothermal projects, it has begun ramping up its circular economy model and sharing it with the world. The Icelandic government encourages the creation of green industrial eco-parks and considers various options in countries with geothermal capabilities. The US, Indonesia, the Philippines, Turkey, and New Zealand could learn from the steps Iceland took to make such a change.

A geothermal power plant in Kenya may be fitted with the carbon storage technology from Icelandic company Carbfix. Likewise, ON Power has partnered with geothermal projects in China and Europe. Such actions also demonstrate how Iceland’s experience in geothermal power shows it might be the key to unlocking international renewable energy transition indications.

How Iceland Harnessed the Power beneath the magma, that is fuelling a monster of sustainable energy to the entire world. He is already talking about getting electricity from so called Hellisheidi in line with the Orca carbon capture project And also the Resource Park of Circular economy in Iceland. Thus, by scaling up and exporting the model, Iceland has become an example of how a country switches to a renewable energy strategy and leads the world to a more sustainable energy future.