Geothermal power in Iceland

to Reykjavík. There are many volcanoes along this rift, including Krafla, Fremri-Námar, Askja, Tungnafellsjökull, Hekla, Vatnafjöll, Katla, Torfajökull, and Eyjafjallajökull. Iceland's territory is some of the most geologically active on Earth. The country straddles the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (a rift between continental plates), and lies over a volcanic hotspot. This combination of factors has led to pronounced volcanism and geothermal activity. Furthermore, the island also possesses underground water reservoirs continually replenished by rain. Magma underneath the island heats these reservoirs to hundreds of degrees Fahrenheit. At least 25 such geothermal aquifers lie within the volcanic zone. These natural conditions in Iceland are favorable for geothermal power production. == History ==

Geothermal energy in Iceland Geothermal energy has been employed by Icelanders since the Viking Age, with initial uses including washing and bathing. 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. The first phase was conducted during 1999–2003, which primarily focused on data gathering. The government still faces issues with providing all households with accessibility to geothermal power, as there remain villages and rural areas that lack geothermal heating infrastructure. Iceland has also helped train geothermal engineers from around the world through the United Nations University Geothermal Training Programme. ==Consumption==

As Iceland is situated in a highly geothermal location, 70.38% of total energy used in the country comes from geothermal sources as of 2020. This means of the total of primary energy used by Iceland in 2020 is from a geothermal source. Direct applications Most geothermal energy in Iceland is used for heating activities. As these uses are reliant solely on geothermal heat, they do not result in the energy losses that come with generating electricity. Instead, many of these direct applications use water as the means of transmission. 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 to melt snow and ice. Electricity generation Iceland has recently been self-sufficient in producing electricity, consistently meeting or exceeding electricity demand in the country mainly through geothermal and hydropower generation. However, after the droughts in the summer season of 2021, low reservoir levels for hydropower generation along with increasing electricity demand in the nation led to an electricity supply crunch. To suppress electricity demand, the Icelandic government had to cut back electricity from certain industries. This supply crunch caused by fluctuations in hydropower generation has Iceland considering the expansion of power generation infrastructure. ==Electricity production infrastructure==

According to the National Energy Authority of Iceland, in 2020, Iceland's geothermal facilities had in total an installed capacity of 799 MWe, making up 25.9% of all power capacity in Iceland, besides hydropower, wind, and fossil fuels. The following are nine power plants that contribute the most to Iceland's geothermal power production capacity; the ownership of each geothermal power plant is also noted: In Reykjavík, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emitted from two nearby geothermal power plants, Hellisheiði and Nesjavellir, may have impacted residents' health. 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. If successful, the technology being developed by IDDP could produce ten times more power than current geothermal power technology. 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. If achieved, projects like IDDP will allow a greater portion of Iceland's electricity to be generated by geothermal means. == See also ==