Iceland
Contracting Party: Orkustofnun, Iceland
Executive Committee Member: To be appointed
Alternate Member: Guðni Axelsson, GRO-GTP, Iceland
Practically all stationary energy and 85% of primary energy in Iceland are derived from indigenous renewable sources, with near carbon-free electricity production. This is the result of policy making renewable energy a long-term priority for Iceland. In 2018 geothermal primary energy consumption contributed 62%, equivalent to ≈160 PJ, of Iceland’s primary energy. Nowhere else does geothermal energy play overall a greater role in providing a nation’s energy supply.
Nine geothermal power plants with an installed capacity of 755 MWe produced 6000 GWh of electricity during 2019.
Iceland is active in Supercritical geothermal research and development with planning work underway for the IDDP 3 well in the Hengill area, near the Hellisheiði power plant facilities.
Work is being undertaken on a number of geothermal district heating schemes to more effectively use the medium to low temperature geothermal fluids by initially generating electricity before supplying the fluids at 80 oC into the district heating network. The modified Flúðir plant, in Southern Iceland, commenced operation in 2018 with 600 kW of electricity being produced ahead of the fluids being feed into the district heating network. There are a number of other district heating networks planning this type of retrofit.
In 2020 34 PJ of geothermal energy were used for heating.
