Iceland’s Use of Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy:

Geothermal energy is the clean and sustainable heat that comes from the Earth.Through the use of geothermal heat pumps, they can use the energy to heat and cool buildings. The internal heat comes from ground hot water, hot rocks, and even the magma that is miles beneath the Earth’s surface.

Iceland’s Use of Geothermal Energy:

Although the United States may use the geothermal reservoirs of hot water, Iceland was the pioneer for space heating by geothermal energy. As a matter of fact, 25% of Iceland’s electricity demand comes from the geothermal power. “Iceland is named the land of fire and ice for a good reason. It is certainly icy: temperatures hover around 10-20°F (-12 to -6°C) in the winter” (Renewable Energy World). The country might be quite cold in the winter, but the heat that is stored miles beneath the Earth can make for a warmer country (or, at least, warmer houses and buildings). With geothermal energy, there is no need to burn fossil fuels which creates a cleaner environment. However, the low amount of toxics in the geothermal fluid is a slight issue, since people do not know where to dispose of the fluid.