GEOTHERMAL ENERGY IN ICELAND

Geothermal power facilities generate 25% of Iceland’s total electricity production. About 84% of Iceland’s  energy use comes from renewable resources and 66% of that was geothermal. Iceland’s energy supply uses only 1% from fossil fuels, making the country extremely environmentally efficient. One example of geothermal energy are underground reservoirs of steam and hot water used to generate electricity.

To produce geothermal-generated electricity, underground wells that extend to nearly a mile deep or more are drilled into the reservoirs to tap steam and  hot water that drive turbines linked to electricity generators

This video is from someone’s visit to the hot spring known as the “Blue Lagoon.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTNh-PHj6vc

Volcanoes also are used in geothermal production in Iceland. Because there are over 200 volcanoes across the country, high-temperature areas containing steam fields with underground temperatures reaching 250°C within 1,000 m depth can be used to also generate electricity.

The largest geothermal power station in the world is . It has the capacity to produce 303 MW of electricity and 400 MW of hot water. It uses turbines and a low pressure steam to extract thermal energy through pressurized steam.

One of the biggest advantages that Iceland has taken advantage of is that geothermal energy can be produced without burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas, or oil. The fields produce only about 1/6 of the carbon dioxide that a  clean natural-gas-fueled power plant produces. Also, geothermal energy can be produced any time of year as opposed to solar and wind energy.

Resources:

1. http://www.nea.is/geothermal/

2. http://www.nea.is/geothermal/the-resource/

3. http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/geothermal-profile/

4. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/iceland-geothermal-power/

5. http://www.icelandgeothermal.is/